Page 2 - Adsorption, Ion Exchange & Catalysis- 2007, Elsevier - Copy

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Preface

In this book, three important processes, namely adsorption, ion e and hetero- xchange,
,
ically geneous catalysis, are presented along with enthis book is vironmental issues. Specif,
essentially a mixture of environmental science (Chapters 1 and 2) and chemical reactor
engineering (Chapters 3 to 6).
The question is why environmental issues are being presented in a chemical engineer-
ing book containing heterogeneous processes . First of all, the processes discussed (adsorp-
xchange,
tion, ion e and catalysis) are largely employed in our effort to minimize the
emissions of various pollutants into the environment. The use of catalytic converters in the
after-treatment of automobile exhaust gases (catalysis), a subject known to almost e v ery-
one, the treatment of VOC-containing gases (catalysis, adsorption), and the remoal of v
xchange,
aste
toxic metals from industrial water (ion e adsorption) are some important
w
examples of the environmental applications of the presented heterogeneous processes.
Moreover, the environment is a field of continuous research since its protection is essen-
tial in the context of sustainable de and generally for a planet worth living on.
v
elopment,
Consequently, the environmentally oriented presentation of adsorption, ion e and xchange,
catalysis is of substantial importance. Engineers are often provided with a lot of informa-
tion regarding heterogeneous processes, chemical phenomena, and waste treatment tech-
niques, but lack know-ledge of the very basics of environmental problems. The first tw o
chapters of the book do not attempt to coer all eny are an ef v vironmental subjects; the fort
of the authors to provide the reader with a basic knowledge of the major en vironmental
problems and connect them to chemical engineering.
Why adsorption, ion e xchange and heterogeneous catalysis in one book? The basic sim-
ilarity between these phenomena is that they all are heterogeneous fluid–solid operations.
v
Second, they are all drien by diffusion in the solid phase. Thus, mass transfer and solid-
fusion, phase dif rate-limiting steps, and other related phenomena are common. Third, the
many aspects of the operations design of some reactors are essentially the same or at least
similar, for e the hydraulic analysis and scale-up. Furthermore, the xample, v e impor- y all ha
vironmental applications, tant en and more specifically they are all applied in gas and/or
water treatment.
In connection with the engineering content of the book, a large number of reactors is
analyzed: tw tw o- o- and three-phase (slurry) agitated reactors (batch and continuous flow),
and three-phase fixed beds (fixed beds, trickle beds, and pack three-phase ubble beds), ed b
(slurry) bubble columns, and tw All these reactors are applicable to o-phase fluidized beds.
catalysis; two-phase fixed and fluidized beds and agitated tank reactors concern adsorption
and ion exchange as well.
,
Apart from the analysis of kinetics, mass transfer and equilibrium of the processes at a
fundamental level, the analysis of material, and in fixed beds energy balances in the reactors,
as well as a number of analytical solutions of the reactors models are presented. Furthermore,
the hydraulic behavior of the reactors is presented in detail. Hydraulic analysis is basically

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