Characteristics of cross-flow rotating packed beds

This work examined pressure drop and mass transfer of the cross-flow rotating packed bed (RPB) using absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) from gas. As to pressure drop, the gas flow rate was observed to be a more important factor than the rotor speed and the liquid flow rate due to less liquid holdup in the cross-flow RPB. The overall volumetric gas-phase mass transfer coefficients (KGa) were determined as a function of the rotor speed, the gas flow rate and the liquid flow rate. The dependences of KGa on the gas flow rate and the liquid flow rate indicated that the resistance to mass transfer in the liquid phase for CO2 absorption was higher than that in the gas phase in the cross-flow RPB. Moreover, the obtained results demonstrated that the KGa values of the cross-flow RPB were comparable to those of the countercurrent-flow RPB, suggesting a great potential of the cross-flow RPB applied to the removal of CO2 from gaseous streams.