A new process for D-glucose hydrogenation in 50 wt% aqueous solution, into sorbitol in a 1.5 m(3) gas-liquid-solid three-phase flow airlift loop reactor (ALR) over Raney Nickel catalysts has been developed. Five main factors affecting the reaction time and molar yield to sorbitol, including reaction temperature (T-R), reaction pressure (PR), pH, hydrogen gas flowrate (Q(g)) and content of active hydrogen, were investigated and optimized. The average reaction time and molar yield were 70min and 98.6% under the optimum operating conditions, respectively. The efficiencies of preparation of sorbitol between the gas-liquid-solid three-phase flow ALR and stirred tank reactor (STR) under the same operating conditions were compared. (C) 2004 Society of Chemical Industry.