Process Intensification of VOC Removal from High Viscous Media by Rotating Packed Bed

The removal of a volatile organic compound (VOC) from high viscous liquid was carried out in a rotating packed bed (RPB) in this study. The mixed liquid of syrup and acetone was used as simulated high viscous polymer solution with acetone as the volatile compound. The influence of the rotating speed of RPB, liquid viscosity, liquid flow rate, vacuum degree, and initial acetone content in the liquid on acetone removal efficiency was investigated. The experimental results indicated that the removal efficiency increased with increasing rotating speed and initial acetone content in the viscous liquid and decreased with increasing liquid viscosity and flow rate. It was also observed that acetone removal efficiency increased with an increasing vacuum degree and reached 58% at a vacuum degree of 0.1 MPa. By the comparison with a flash tank devolatilizer, it was found that acetone removal efficiency in RPB increased by about 67%.