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A stochastic model was developed to describe the liquid radial dispersion in a trickle-bed reactor, which has conventionally been modeled by the effective diffusion model. To establish the stochastic model, the column was divided into some layers of particles in the axial direction and several annulus rings in each layer in the radial direction. The liquid spreading was regarded as a fluid transport process and the matrix of transfer probability was derived based on the coordinates of the particle network in the cross-section of the column. With this transfer probability matrix and the initial liquid distribution, the liquid distribution in the downstream was predicted. In order to evaluate the model parameters, experimental data of the liquid dispersion were obtained from electrical capacitance tomography images and tracer injection. Good agreement was obtained between the stochastic model and the experimental liquid distribution data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Two-bubble class model was employed for the gas–liquid mass transfer. [•] Axial dispersions of liquid and solid phases are incorporated in above model. [•] Bench-scale experiment was carried out in a 2L stainless steel tube of 2m long. [•] Scale-up simulations at a capacity of 1.0Mt/a for VR processing were conducted. [•] Due to the non-uniform distribution of catalyst, axial dispersion model is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]