Cold model investigation of mixing-separation time distribution in a multi-element process coupled cyclone reactor for ionic liquid-catalyzed isobutane/butene alkylation

The residence time distributions of a dispersed phase in a multi-element process coupled cyclone reactor for ionic liquid-catalyzed isobutane/butene alkylation were numerically studied with a CFD method. The Eulerian–Eulerian multiphase flow model and Reynolds stress model were applied to simulate the flow field distribution in the cyclone reactor. The time in which the dispersed phase flows from the inlet slot to the overflow outlet tube is defined as the mean mixing-separation time between two phases in the cyclone reactor. The effects of the structural parameter of the slot on the mean mixing-separation time were investigated in this work. The results show that the residence time distributions are unimodal except for the condition that the number of slots is 1. Besides, it is concluded that the velocity of dispersed phase flow into the reaction chamber and the relative velocity between two phases in the cyclone reactor are the main influence factors. Based on the results, a prediction model to explain the relationship between the mean mixing-separation time and the velocity of two phases was established.