X-ray digital industrial radiography (DIR) for local liquid velocity (V(LL)) measurement in trickle bed reactors (TBRs): validation of the technique

Khairul Anuar Mohd Salleh; Mohd Fitri Abdul Rahman; Hyoung Koo Lee; Muthanna H Al Dahhan

doi:10.1063/1.4881679

X-ray digital industrial radiography (DIR) for local liquid velocity (V(LL)) measurement in trickle bed reactors (TBRs): validation of the technique

Rev Sci Instrum. 2014 Jun;85(6):065113. doi: 10.1063/1.4881679.

Authors

Khairul Anuar Mohd Salleh¹, Mohd Fitri Abdul Rahman², Hyoung Koo Lee¹, Muthanna H Al Dahhan¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mining and Nuclear Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Fulton Hall, 310 W. 14th St., Rolla, Missouri 65409, USA.
² Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, 143 Schrenk Hall, 400 W. 11th St., Rolla, Missouri 65409, USA.

PMID: 24985858
DOI: 10.1063/1.4881679

Abstract

Local liquid velocity measurements in Trickle Bed Reactors (TBRs) are one of the essential components in its hydrodynamic studies. These measurements are used to effectively determine a reactor's operating condition. This study was conducted to validate a newly developed technique that combines Digital Industrial Radiography (DIR) with Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV) to measure the Local Liquid Velocity (V(LL)) inside TBRs. Three millimeter-sized Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) beads were used as packing material. Three validation procedures were designed to test the newly developed technique. All procedures and statistical approaches provided strong evidence that the technique can be used to measure the V(LL) within TBRs.