Intensification principle of a new three-phase catalytic slurry reactor. Part I: Performance characterisation

•Characterisation of heat and mass transfer of a new catalytic reactor.•Simplified model based on characteristic times of an intensified gas–liquid reactor.•Comparison of semi-batch and continuous operating modes.•For process safety, intensification requires equal values of heat and mass transfer characteristic times. This paper presents the concept and the performances of a mini horizontal stirred tank reactor, used for hydrogenation reaction. A simple analytical model based on characteristic times of heat and mass transfer illustrates the intensification principle and shows that the relevant intensification parameter is the mass to heat transfer characteristics times ratio. The proof of concept is made through a small scale reactor named RAPTOR® (French acronym for Reactor with Polyvalent Rectilinear Stirred Reactor with Optimised Transfer). The mass transfer performances are measured and compared to conventional stirred tank reactor and other multiple impeller continuous reactors. In a following second paper, a comparative study is proposed to evaluate the eco-efficiency and the techno-economic advantages of a continuous process involving a RAPTOR® versus a classical batch process based on a stirred reactor.