I&EC 123 |
| Reactions between chemicals in two immiscible liquid phases normally require dispersion of one phase in the other. Dispersion is no longer a requirement for two-phase reactions. A Fiber Reactor (FR) can be used with liquid-liquid reactions when one of the liquids can be preferentially constrained to a fiber. The FR consists of a tube filled with fibers. The constrained phase enters the fiber bundle first. The continuous phase enters the wetted bundle and is squeezed between the wetted fibers giving a large contact area between phases. At the end, the continuous phase exits the fiber bundle, while the constrained phase follows the fibers to the bulk constrained phase. The result is high surface area contact between two phases for fast mass transfer/reaction and instantaneous phase separation at the end of the process. Application of the FR to phase transfer catalyzed (PTC) reactions and biodiesel production will be discussed. |
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Process Intensification, Sponsored by Novel Chemistry with Industrial Applications Sub-Division
9:00 AM-11:30 AM, Tuesday, 12 September 2006 Moscone Center -- Room 250, Oral
Division of Industrial & Engineering Chemistry |