RESIDENCE TIME DISTRIBUTION OF INERT AND LINEARLY ADSORBED SPECIES IN A FIXED-BED CONTAINING LARGE-PORE SUPPORTS - APPLICATIONS IN SEPARATION ENGINEERING

Large-pore materials are used in various chemical engineering applications as catalysts, HPLC packings, ceramic membranes. In such supports, mass transfer due to intraparticle convection has to be taken into account. This paper shows how intraparticle convection affects residence time distribution of inert and linearly adsorbed species in fixed-bed processes. The concept is further illustrated with examples from gas-solid systems and liquid-solid systems (HPLC) showing how the column efficiency (measured by HETP in separation engineering) is improved by the use of large-pore supports.