A simple adsorber dynamics approach to simulated countercurrent moving bed reactor performance

The design and performance of a simulated countercurrent moving bed chromatographic reactor (SCMCR) for high temperature reactions are investigated for both reversible and irreversible reactions of a single reactant. From an analysis of the solid phase and gas phase how ratios in each of the SCMCR sections, the flow conditions necessary for optimizing the conversion and yield are obtained. Reactor performance is not evaluated from typical material balance equations, but rather by considering the separation of reactant and product waves as they flow through the sections of the SCMCR, and as the feed point is cycled under the assumption of dispersionless plug flow. The additional assumptions of linear adsorption equilibria and infinite gas-solid mass transfer rates permit the expressions for exit molar flow profiles during the initial transient period, and of the ultimate periodic steady state, to be readily obtained. Simple algebraic expressions for the production rate of the reaction product as a function of the adsorption equilibrium constants, the per pass conversion, the number of switching periods, and the molar flow rate of the reactant, are presented. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.