TRACER EXPERIMENTS AND RESIDENCE-TIME DISTRIBUTIONS IN THE ANALYSIS OF INDUSTRIAL UNITS: CASE STUDIES

E. Plasari1, J. Thereska2, J. P. Leclerc3, J. Villermaux1

1 Laboratoire des Sciences Du Genie Chimique-CNRS, Ecole Nationale Superieure des Industries Chimiques-INPL, 1, Rue Grandville, B.P. 451, F-54001 Nancy, France,
2 IAEA, Wagramerstrasse 5, P.O. Box 100, A-1400 Vienna, Austria,
3 Centre de Promotion Du Génie Des Procedes Dans L’Industrie (PROGEPI) 1, Rue Grandville, B.P. 451, F-54001 Nancy, France

The use of radioactive tracers in the analysis of industrial units is illustrated by some typical cases concerning a SO2 - oxidation industrial reactor, a superphosphate granulator, a chromium ore rod mill, a shaft furnance and a settling tank in a copper melting process and a fluidized bed calciner. In addition, a commercially available software package that simulates dynamic models derived from residence time distribution experiments is described and the use of this package in a complicated case concerning a ventilation system is demonstrated.