Should the oil density at high temperature or at room temperature be used when calculating the reactor volume?
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This post was last edited by reelove on 2019-1-21 at 14:28. To determine the size of a hydrogenation reactor, we divide the volumetric flow rate Q of the oil product by the space velocity SV and the amount of catalyst used; then we account for the space required for ceramic balls, protective agents, and other equipment to determine the total volume V of the reactor. I would like to ask whether, when calculating Q, one should use the density value under operating conditions or at room temperature. Thank you!
It mainly depends on the conditions for determining the space velocity; although the unit of space velocity is the reciprocal of time, in reality it represents the volume flow rate of the medium per unit volume of catalyst, so it is necessary to consider what this volume flow rate is. This is more evident in gas-solid phase reactions, as the space velocity in gas-solid phases is generally based on standard conditions. Therefore, this figure needs to be finalized with the catalyst manufacturer.
It depends on how the space velocity is defined. There are two common states used to determine space velocity: standard conditions and the conditions at the reactor inlet. Depending on which state the space velocity data refers to, the volumetric flow rate should also be based on the same state