Hydrodynamics and mass transfer of gas–liquid flow in micropacked bed reactors with metal foam packing

Hydrodynamics and mass transfer of gas–liquid flow such as pressure drop, liquid holdup, and gas–liquid mass-transfer coefficient in micropacked bed reactors (μPBRs) with metal foam packing are investigated with an automated platform. Parametric studies are conducted varying gas and liquid superficial velocities, pore diameters of foam packing, and liquid physical properties. Experimental results show that μPBRs with foam packing have comparative mass transfer rate and 10 times lower pressure drop compared to the microparticles. The values of mass-transfer coefficient for three types of foam packing in μPBRs are 1–2 orders of magnitude larger than those in large-scale trickle bed reactors with foam packing. Furthermore, empirical correlations of pressure drop, liquid holdup, and gas–liquid mass-transfer coefficient in μPBRs with foam packing are proposed and the predicted values are found to be in good agreement with the experimental values.