Novel Strategy for the Formation and Regulation of a High Gravity Field in a Higee Reactor

High gravity (Higee) reactors using centrifugal fields for mass transfer intensification have been extensively applied in the chemical industry. However, concerns over operational reliability and leakage risks associated with motor-driven systems highlighted the need for innovative drive approaches. Herein, a liquid-driven strategy was developed to generate a high gravity field in a Higee reactor. Liquid energy was transmitted by an impeller for the rotor rotation. Structure-effect relationships between reactor internals and rotational characteristics were investigated first, and then the regulation rule of high gravity level (β) was illustrated considering various operation conditions. The obtained β values ranged from 1.4 to 72.7, with superior drive efficiency. Characteristic curves were calculated to clarify the relationship between the liquid-driven and packing dispersion processes. Subsequently, an artificial neural network model was established for predicting and analyzing rotational characteristics. Results suggested that the liquid-driven strategy was an alternative for motors with the potential of energy reduction and reactor safety improvement.