Model Gallery

Model ID: 237

Cylindrical Catalyst Pellet

Porous catalyst particles are widely used in the chemical industry and are extensively treated in the chemical engineering literature.

The catalyst pellets are, in most cases, fluidized by the action of a gas or liquid flowing through a reactor. The fluid enters at the bottom of a bed of catalyst particles and the particles are fluidized by the shear force that the fluid exerts on their surface, see the below figure.

At the same time, species dissolved in the fluid react on the surface and inside the porous catalyst particles. This example models the fluid flow past the pellet, the transport of species through the liquid and pellet media, and the reaction that takes place in the pellet.



Cylindrical Catalyst Pellet We can see from this figure that the diffusion layer, in the free fluid surrounding the particle, is of non-uniform thickness. This results in a non-symmetrical concentration distribution along the outer surface of the particle. The diffusion layer at the particle surface, facing the inlet of the gas, is far thinner than that obtained behind the particle. Moreover, depletion of the reacting gas, along the main direction of flow, influences the concentration around the surface of and in the particle.


Engineering Fields

  • Reaction Engineering
  • Mass Transfer

Application Areas

  • Chemical Reaction Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering

Products Used

Similar Models

COMSOL RSS
Subscribe to our Blog Join our Community Become a Fan of COMSOL Multiphysics on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Watch our videos on Youtube
© 1998-2010 COMSOL AB.
COMSOL, COMSOL Multiphysics, COMSOL Reaction Engineering Lab and FEMLAB are registered trademarks of COMSOL AB.
Other product or brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. All Rights Reserved.