A new developed external loop airlift slurry reactor

which was integrated with gas-liquid-solid three-phase mixing

mass transfer

and liquid-solid separation simultaneously

was deemed to be a promising slurry reactor due to its prominent advantages such as achieving continuous separation of clear liquid from slurry and cyclic utilization of solid particles without any extra energy

energy-saving

and intrinsic safety design. The principal operating parameters

including gas separator volume

handling capacity

and superficial gas velocity

are systematically investigated here to promote the capabilities of mixing

mass transfer

and yield in the pilot external loop airlift slurry reactor. The influences of top clearance and throughput of the clear liquid on flow regime and gas holdup in the riser

liquid circulating velocity

and volumetric mass transfer coefficient with a typical high solid holdup and free of particles are examined experimentally. It was found that increasing the gas separator volume could promote the liquid circulating velocity by about 14.0% at most. Increasing the handling capacity of the clear liquid from 0.9 m

3

·h

-1

to 3.0 m

3

·h

-1

not only could increase the output without any adverse consequences

but also could enhance the liquid circulating velocity as much as 97.3%. Typical operating conditions investigated here can provide some necessary data and guidelines for this new external loop airlift slurry reactor to upgrade its performances.