Effect of a gas–liquid separator on the hydrodynamics and circulation flow regimes in internal‐loop airlift reactors

The role of the gas–liquid separator on hydrodynamic characteristics in an internal‐loop airlift reactor (ALR) was investigated. Both gas holdup and liquid velocity were measured in a 30 dm³ airlift reactor with two different head configurations: with and without an enlarged separator. A magnetic tracer method using a neutrally buoyant magnetic particle as flowfollower was used to measure the liquid velocity in all sections of the internal‐loop airlift reactor. Average liquid circulation velocities in the main parts of the ALR were compared for both reactor configurations. At low air flow rates the separator had no influence on gas holdup, circulation velocity and intensity of turbulence in the downcomer and separator. At higher superficial air velocities, however, the separator design had a decisive effect on the hydrodynamic parameters in the downcomer and the separator. On the other hand, the gas holdup in the riser was only slightly influenced by the separator configuration in the whole range of air flow. Circulation flow regimes, characterising the behaviour of bubbles in the downcomer, were identified and the effect of the separator on these regimes was assessed. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Hydrodynamics of a Multi‐Stage Internal Loop Airlift Reactor

The local hydrodynamic properties in a multi‐stage internal loop airlift reactor were investigated in this study. The gas‐liquid two‐phase flow hydrodynamic properties, including gas holdup, bubble velocity, bubble diameter, and liquid circulation velocity at various stages were measured by dual electrical resistivity probes and conductivity cells. Detailed studies on the gas holdup, bubble velocity, bubble diameter, and liquid circulation velocity were conducted with respect to various values of superficial gas. The Zuber and Findlay drift flux model was used to represent the variation of slip velocity with total gas‐liquid velocity at various stages and the model fits the data well.     

Treatment of the refinery wastewater in a gas–liquid–solid three‐phase flow airlift loop bioreactor

Aerobic treatment of refinery wastewater was carried out in a 200 dm³ gas–liquid–solid three‐phase flow airlift loop bioreactor, in which a biological membrane replaced the activated sludge. The influences of temperature, pH, gas–liquid ratio and hydraulic residence time on the reductions in chemical oxygen demand (COD) and NH₄‐N were investigated and discussed. The optimum operation conditions were obtained as temperature of 25–35 °C, pH value of 7.0–8.0, gas–liquid ratio of 50 and hydraulic residence time of 4 h. The radial and axial positions had little influence on the local profiles of COD and NH₄‐N. Under the optimum operating conditions, the effluent COD and NH₄‐N were less than 100 mg dm^?3 and 15 mg dm^?3 respectively for more than 40 days, satisfying the national primary discharge standard of China (GB 8978‐1996). Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

三相强制浆料环流反应器的局部传质行为

提出了一种新型的强制外循环三相环流反应器结构,根据结构特点及流动状态的不同,将反应器分为6个不同的流动区域. 在f300 mm′1700 mm的实验装置内,采用氧气气提-空气解吸法,详细考察了内环表观气速0.006~0.19 m/s、外循环液速0.03, 0.05 m/s、固含率5%, 10%, 15%时不同流动区域的体积传质系数. 发现外循环液流影响区体积传质系数最大,最高可达0.754 s-1,外环环隙区最小,不超过0.043 s-1,环流反应器整体体积传质系数与气液分离区体积传质系数接近. 适当扩大内、外环截面积比有利于提高环流反应器的传质性能. 环流反应器整体体积传质系数随内环表观气速和外循环液速的增加而增加,随颗粒浓度的增加略有降低.     

外循环气升式生物反应器中酯酶生产及应用

采用海藻酸钙凝胶包埋法固定根霉（Rhizopus sp. F-16）细胞,在外循环气升式生物反应器（工作体积为10 L,高径比为2.9）中发酵生产酯酶.与游离细胞发酵相比,固定化细胞具有发酵时间短、产酶活力高等优点,其最适通气量为0.70 m3/h,最适装液量为8.75 L,发酵48 h时酯酶活力达41.6 U/g细胞.固定化细胞的适宜作用pH为8.0～9.0,适宜作用温度为45～50 ℃,其酸碱稳定性和热稳定性均比游离细胞明显增强.该固定化细胞可直接用于选择性水解外消旋乳酸乙酯生成D-乳酸,当底物的质量浓度为150 g/L,反应时间为3 h时乳酸乙酯的水解率达43.9%,D-乳酸的光学纯度达95.7%.固定化细胞性状稳定,可重复利用,连续降解6批乳酸乙酯的平均水解率为43.3%,D-乳酸的光学纯度平均为95.4%.     

Split internal-loop photobioreactor for Scenedesmus sp. microalgae:Culturing and hydrodynamics

In this study, the evaluation of the performance of the split internal loop photobioreactor for culturing a species of green microalgae, Scenedesmus sp. under different operating superficial gas velocity and during a different time of growth (i.e., starting for the first day until end day of the culturing process) was addressed. The evaluation of the performance of the split internal loop photobioreactor was included assessing the density, pH, temperature, vis-cosity, surface tension, the optical density, cell population, dry biomass, and chlorophyll of the culture medium of the microalgae culturing. Additionally, the hydrodynamics of a Split Internal-Loop Photobioreactor with microalgae culturing was comprehensively quantified. Radioactive particle tracking (RPT) and gamma-ray com-puted tomography (CT) techniques were applied for the first time to quantify and address the influence of microalgae culture on the hydrodynamic parameters. The hydrodynamics parameters such as local liquid veloc-ity field, shear stresses, turbulent kinetic energy, and local gas holdup profiles were measured at different super-ficial gas velocities as well as under different times of algae growth. The obtained results indicate that the flow distribution may significantly affect the performance of the photobioreactor, which may have substantial effects on the cultivation process. The obtained experimental data can serve as benchmark data for the evaluation and validation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes and their closures. This, in turn, allows us to develop ef-ficient reactors and consequently improving the productivity and selectivity of these photobioreactors.     

超声内环流气升式反应器中环己烯环氧化反应的研究

Epoxidation of cyclohexene to cyclohexene oxide was studied in a new type reactor-the ultrasound airlift loop reactor. The influences of ultrasound intensity, molar ratio of isobutyraldehyde to cyclohexene and oxygen gas flow rate on the conversion of cyclohexene and selectivity of cyclohexene oxide were investigated and discussed, and the optimal operation condition was found, under which 95.2% conversion of cyclohexene and 90.7% selectivity of cyclohexene oxide were achieved. The ultrasonic airlift loop reactor utilizes the synergistic effect of sonochemsitry and higher oxygen transfer rate. Possible reaction mechanisms were outlined and the reason of ultrasound promotion of epoxidation reactionwas analyzed.     

分段式内循环气升反应器的实验研究

８００Ｌ分段式内循环气升反应器冷模实验结果表明：该型式的反应器具有良好的混合与传质性能。应用于Ｌ－苹果酸发酵，菌体收率、发酵周期等指标均优于同等规模的机械搅拌罐。