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Evaluation of Mass Transfer Coefficients in Biotrickling Filters: Experimental Determination and Comparison to Correlations
Author(s) -
Dorado A. D.,
Rodríguez G.,
Ribera G.,
Bonsfills A.,
Gabriel D.,
Lafuente J.,
Gamisans X.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
chemical engineering and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-4125
pISSN - 0930-7516
DOI - 10.1002/ceat.200900275
Subject(s) - mass transfer , filtration (mathematics) , residence time (fluid dynamics) , filter (signal processing) , biofilter , chemistry , mass transfer coefficient , analytical chemistry (journal) , chromatography , materials science , environmental science , mathematics , environmental engineering , statistics , engineering , geotechnical engineering , electrical engineering
Overall mass transfer coefficients ( K G a and K L a) were determined experimentally for four different‐nature packing materials used in gas‐phase biotrickling filters. A simple methodology based on overall mass balances and following a standard procedure allowed to calculate the mass transfer coefficients under different operating conditions corresponding to usual biotrickling filtration situations. Results showed an increase of mass transfer resistance when increasing the empty bed residence time (EBRT) of the reactor for all packing materials. Experimental results were fitted to existing and well‐accepted correlations used in conventional biofilter or biotrickling filter modeling. The comparison of experimental and theoretical data showed huge discrepancies. Simple correlations for the experimental data obtained in this study were also suggested.