Hydrodynamic properties of quadrolobe catalyst supports

Physical properties of the quadrolobe shaped catalysts with diameter of 2.1 mm were measured. The void fraction of the bed is 0.52, and the specific surface area of the bed is 1141 m²·m^-3. When only the gas phase is flowing, the pressure drop of the bed mentioned above is equivalent to a bed packed with spheres of 5.79 mm in diameter, while when only the liquid phase is flowing, the saturation of the bed is equivalent to a bed packed with spheres of 2.7 mm in diameter. Under gas-liquid countercurrent flow condition, the flooding velocities of the two phases are equivalent to a bed packed with Raschig rings of 6 mm × 4 mm × 4 mm (outside diameter × inside diameter × length) in geometry. The above data show that the quadrolobe catalyst support is a novel catalytic material with extraordinary hydrodynamic properties, which could be applied to deep desulfurization of diesel fuel operated under countercurrent flow or to those processes with similar characteristics.