Absorption of ethanol into water and glycerol/water solution in a rotating packed bed

Rotating packed bed (RPB) in which the centrifugal force is employed plays an important role in the field of process intensification. With the help of centrifugal force, the wider operating range and the better mass transfer efficiency could be expected. Experimental results showed that the gas-phase mass transfer coefficient (K(G)a) increased with increasing rotational speeds, gas flow rates and liquid flow rates, but decreased with increasing the liquid viscosity. However, with the comparison of K(G)a in an RPB and the traditional packed columns, the enhancement of mass transfer coefficient was remarkable, up to 193-fold mass transfer efficiency in the viscous media. (C) 2008 Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.