Liquid hold-up and minimum fluidization velocity in a turbulent contactor

Transient-response experiments have been performed in conjunction with bed expansion measurements to determine liquid hold-ups and minimum fluidization velocities in a 12-in. turbulent-bed gas-liquid contactor. The amount of liquid hold-up was found to be independent of gas velocity, but dependent upon both liquid rate and packing diameter in the same manner as reported for conventional fixed-bed absorbers. The data on minimum fluidization velocity, G_mf, which was interpreted in the present study as the maximum gas mass velocity at which the bed maintained its static height, showed a considerable variation with packing diameter, d_p and liquid flow rate, L. A correlation of G_mf with d_p and L was presented.