Polytetrafluoroethylene Wire Mesh Packing in a Rotating Packed Bed: Mass-Transfer Studies

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material, which is well-known for its excellent anticorrosion properties, was used as wire mesh packing in a rotating packed bed (RPB). The effective interfacial area (a(e)) and the volumetric liquid-side mass-transfer coefficient (k(L)a(e)) of the RPB with PTFE packing was studied experimentally by a NaOH-CO2 chemical absorption system and an oxygen water physical desorption system, respectively. Experimental results showed that both a(e) and k(L)a(e) increased with decreasing fiber diameter and pore size. As for material, mass-transfer performance of the PTFE packing was lower than that of the stainless steel wire mesh packing but is applicable in some high-corrosion and-viscosity environments. Moreover, correlations for a(e) and k(L)a(e) were proposed.