气体分布方式对带列管内构件的鼓泡塔流动规律的影响

在带列管内构件的鼓泡塔内测量了4种不同布气方式下的气含率和液速径向分布,并与无列管内构件的空塔中的分布进行了比较。结果表明：中心布气条件下气含率与液速的径向分布比空塔更为陡峭;环隙及近壁布气时呈现出环隙高、两边低的马鞍形分布;均匀布气时径向分布较空塔更为平坦。空塔内气体分布器的影响是局部性的,充分发展段在塔内占主要部分;而在列管塔中气体分布器的影响是全局性的,气含率与液速的初始分布决定着其全塔分布。在带列管的大型鼓泡塔中难以观察到充分发展段的存在,因此,气体分布器的设计具有比空塔更为重要的意义     

Gas-liquid dispersions in structured packing with high-viscosity liquids

Gas holdup in bubble columns containing structured packing was determined for varying liquid phase viscosity and different construction materials of the packing. Three columns, containing packing made from smooth nickel plate, perforated nickel plate and plastic sheets, respectively, were tested. The gas holdup in a column with no internals was also measured for comparison purposes. The effect of viscosity on gas holdup was studied by using water, aqueous glycerol and aqueous CMC solutions as the liquid phase; some of the solutions showed non-Newtonian behavior.The experimental results of gas void fraction were correlated in terms of superficial gas velocity and liquid viscosity through a simple homographic expression. The geometric characteristics of the structured packings were found to influence gas holdup, thus yielding slightly different equations for each structured packing. This effect is discussed in detail. Nevertheless, for engineering purposes a single equation representing all the data is also proposed, which permits the prediction of gas holdup in structured packing with sufficient accuracy.     

Bubble column with internals: Effects on hydrodynamics and local heat transfer

Local heat transfer and column hydrodynamics are investigated in a bubble column in presence of internals of different configurations. The liquid phase used is tap water and the gas phase is oil-free compressed air. The gas velocity is varied over a wide range of 0.03–0.35 m/s. The heat transfer variations are measured with a fast response probe capable of capturing bubble dynamics as well as detect local flow direction and deduce local liquid velocity. Measurements obtained in presence of internals are compared with those without internals to elucidate the effects of different internals design. Comparisons are based on average values and temporal variations obtained with the fast response probe. The average gas holdup, local liquid velocity and bubble fractions holdups obtained with and without internals are also compared to further point out the differences. The observed differences are discussed based on the insights provided by these comparisons. The results obtained show influence of internals design on column hydrodynamics which need to be considered for their proper design and modeling.     

Investigation of hydrodynamics in bubble column with internals using radioactive particle tracking (RPT)

Even though many experimental investigations are reported on this subject of liquid velocity patterns in bubble columns, most of the reported work is restricted to measurements at the near wall regions, columns without internals, and in low dispersed phase hold‐ups. In the present work, a non‐invasive radioactive particle tracking technique was employed to quantify the hydrodynamic parameters in 120 mm diameter bubble column with, and without vertical rod internals, using air/water system as the working fluids. The superficial air velocities cover a wide range of flow regimes: from 14 to 265 mm/s. Experiments were performed for two internals configurations with percentage obstruction area varied from 0 (without internals) to 11.7%. We report that the liquid phase hydrodynamics depends strongly on superficial gas velocity and internals. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2017     

Experimental Study on Bubble Rising and Descending Velocity Distribution in a Slurry Bubble Column Reactor

To determine bubble rising and descending velocity simultaneously, a BVW‐2 four‐channel conductivity probe bubble parameters apparatus and its analysis are used in gas‐liquid and gas‐liquid‐solid bubble columns. The column is 100 mm in internal diameter and 1500 mm in height. The solid particles used are glass beads with an average diameter of 17.82 μm, representing typical particle size for catalytic slurry reactors. The effects of superficial gas velocity (1.0 cm/s ≤ U_g ≤ 6.4 cm/s), solid holdup (0 % ≤ ?_s ≤ 30 %), and radial location (r/R = 0, 0.4, and 0.7) on bubble velocity distributions are determined. It is found that increasing U_g can increase the velocity of bubbles but do not exert much influence on bubble velocity distribution. Solid holdup mainly affects the distribution of bubble velocity while the radial direction affects bubble velocity distribution only slightly. The ratio of descending bubbles to rising bubbles increases from the bubble column center to the wall. It can be proved experimentally that large bubbles do not always rise faster than small bubbles at higher U_g (for example 6.4 cm/s).     

Bubble column research in Japan

Many experimental studies on the bubble column have been reported by Japanese researchers since around 1960. They include studies of bubble behaviour, bubble size distribution, transition from the homogeneous bubbly flow regime to the heterogeneous liquid circulation regime, liquid velocity distribution, longitudinal liquid mixing, hydrodynamic modelling, the gas holdup, and the volumetric coefficient of gas-liquid mass tranfer k_La. Studies covered various modified bubble columns, such as the airlift reactor with an external or internal loop, the packed bubble column, and others. Performance of three-phase bubble columns, which deal with suspensions or emulsions, and their use as bioreactors or chemical reactors were also studied.     

Comparison of Hydrodynamics and Mass Transfer in Airlift and Bubble Column Reactors Using CFD

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is used to compare the hydrodynamics and mass transfer of an internal airlift reactor with that of a bubble column reactor, operating with an air/water system in the homogeneous bubble flow regime. The liquid circulation velocities are significantly higher in the airlift configuration than in bubble columns, leading to significantly lower gas holdups. Within the riser of the airlift, the gas and liquid phases are virtually in plug flow, whereas in bubble columns the gas and liquid phases follow parabolic velocity distributions. When compared at the same superficial gas velocity, the volumetric mass transfer coefficient, k_La, for an airlift is significantly lower than that for a bubble column. However, when the results are compared at the same values of gas holdup, the values of k_La are practically identical.     

Flow regimes and mass transfer in counter-current bubble columns

Counter current bubble columns have the feature that specific gas-liquid interfacial area and gas holdup are larger than those for standard and cocurrent bubble columns. In this study, three different flow regimes, churn-turbulent flow, bubble flow and bubble down-flow, have been observed in a counter-current bubble column and correlations of gas holdup and volumetric liquid-phase mass transfer coefficient have been proposed as functions of operating variables such as the superficial velocities of gas and liquid, the gas-liquid slip velocity and the liquid properties.     

Axial dispersion in a rectangular bubble column

This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the gas holdup and the liquid phase axial dispersion coefficient in a narrow packed and unpacked rectangular bubble column. In both cases the gas and liquid flow rates were varied and the data were obtained by employing standard tracer technique. The gas holdup and the axial dispersion coefficient for both the packed and unpacked columns were found to be dependent on the gas and liquid flow rates. For given gas and liquid velocities and a given packing size in the case of the packed column, the rectangular column gave significantly higher dispersion coefficients than a cylindrical column of the equivalent cross sectional area. This result agrees very well with the one predicted by the velocity distribution model. The correlations for the Peclet number, the axial dispersion coefficient, and the fluid holdup for both the unpacked and packed bubble columns are presented.     

Hydrodynamics of a Tapered Bubble Column

The hydrodynamic behavior of a single‐stage tapered bubble column using an air‐water two‐phase system has been studied. The experimental results indicate that the holdup increases with increasing superficial gas velocity and bubble slip velocity, while it remains constant with increasing superficial liquid velocity. The gas flow rate has a subtle effect on pressure drop owing to the dynamic pressure recovery stemming from the increase in flow area in the axial direction. The results further suggest that the tapered bubble column shows higher holdup with lower energy dissipation than the conventional bubble columns under similar hydrodynamic conditions. The experimental values of the holdup are in excellent agreement with the well‐known Akita and Yoshida correlation available in the existing literature. Also, the performance of the tapered system has been shown to be much better than that of conventional columns under similar conditions in water/alkaline scrubbing of fly ash and SO₂ either alone or in combination.     

Gas holdup in homogeneous and heterogeneous gas—liquid bubble column reactors

The velocity‐holdup relationship is the most important design parameter for gas—liquid bubble column reactors, providing the basis for the prediction of heat and mass transfer coefficients and information on hydrodynamic conditions. A summary of the literature on gas holdup in bubble columns is supplemented by new experimental results which extend the data range. A criterion for the gas velocity leading to the transition between homogeneous and heterogeneous regimes for perforated plate gas distributors has been developed. Correlations for gas holdup in both regimes are developed and verified against both new and existing data.     

浆态床反应器内固体轴向悬浮特征的实验研究

实验研究了浆态床内固体的轴向悬浮特征。为了实现气体均布和优化固体悬浮效果,在浆态床内设置辐射式锐孔气体分布器和内部构件。实验以空气-水-玻璃微珠系统为研究对象,考察了初始固体质量含率(固含率)为0～30%,表观气速1～25 cm/s,液体循环量0～230 L/h对固体浓度均布的影响。从固体轴向分布的均匀性分别比较辐射式锐孔气体分布器和1 mm多孔板气体分布器的性能以及有/无内部构件的性能。结果表明,高表观气速下,辐射式锐孔气体分布器明显优于1 mm多孔板,内部构件明显优于无内部构件。由实验结果得知,该反应器适用于操作气速大于等于10 cm/s,最佳循环量为80～150 L/h,临界悬浮气速为10～12 cm/s,催化剂装填量的增加对临界悬浮气速影响不大。     

湍动浆态床流体力学研究(Ⅴ)-带多层水平网格的浆态床流体力学模型

水平布置的多层筛网是最简单的阻尼型内构件,用于改善流动分布。在安装多层筛网的?500×5000鼓泡塔冷模装置中进行了流速分布与气含率分布测定。实验表明,网格型内构件可以有效抑制塔中心区过快上升的流速,改善其分布。网孔越小,流动阻尼效果越明显,同时平均气含率也会有所增大。提出了与列管内构件相似的一维流体力学模型,将网格内构件对流体的阻尼效果作为体积源来考虑,湍流耗散方程中的参数值c3=1.0,c4=1.3与列管束内构件略有不同。模型计算与实验数据符合良好,能够定量描述网格型阻尼内构件对流场的影响。     

Characteristics of flow fields in the gas–liquid mini-bubble columns with particle image velocimetry measurements

As a new type of gas–liquid microreactors, the gas–liquid mini-bubble column has potential applications. However, few studies on the flow fields in the mini-bubble column can be found at present. In this work, particle image velocimetry (PIV) was used to visually study the velocity fields, vorticity fields and bubble dynamics in the gas–liquid mini-bubble columns with column inner diameters of 1–3 mm and mini-bubble diameters ranged from 0.7 to 1.3 mm. It is found that with the increase of superficial liquid velocity, bubbles rose from almost straight line to Z-shaped or S-shaped trajectory, and the bubble trajectory changed from one-dimension to three-dimension; when the bubble velocity changed, the bubble size and gas holdup decreased; bubble terminal velocity was controlled by bubble buoyancy and flow resistance, and increased slightly with bubble coalescence. These findings may provide basic reference for the design and scale-up of such a mini-bubble column reactor.     

The role of gas phase momentum in determining gas holdup and hydrodynamic flow regimes in bubble column operations

Experiments conducted in 0.15 m diameter bubble columns using water and non-aqueous liquids have shown that the gas velocity at which transition from the bubbly flow to the churn-turbulent flow regime occurs is a function of gas density. The transition velocity increased with increasing gas density. The direct effect of gas density on gas holdup in the bubbly flow regime is small with only a slight increase in holdup being observed at higher densities (?_G α ρ_g ^0.04). In the churnturbulent region a much greater effect of gas density on gas holdup was observed. These differences were found to be a direct function of the differences in holdup values at the transition points. Gas holdup was found to be a function of the gas phase momentum. In the bubbly flow regime holdup was directly proportional to momentum while in the churn-turbulent regime holdup was proportional to momentum to the one third power. Reasons for this behaviour are discussed, as well as the implied effects on liquid mixing in bubble column slurry reactors. The effects of gas density may offer an explanation for some apparently anomalous published results.     

Studies on hydrodynamics of turbulent slurry bubble column (Ⅴ)：Modeling of the bubble column with multi-layer screens

水平布置的多层筛网是最简单的阻尼型内构件,用于改善流动分布。在安装多层筛网的?500×5000鼓泡塔冷模装置中进行了流速分布与气含率分布测定。实验表明,网格型内构件可以有效抑制塔中心区过快上升的流速,改善其分布。网孔越小,流动阻尼效果越明显,同时平均气含率也会有所增大。提出了与列管内构件相似的一维流体力学模型,将网格内构件对流体的阻尼效果作为体积源来考虑,湍流耗散方程中的参数值c3=1.0,c4=1.3与列管束内构件略有不同。模型计算与实验数据符合良好,能够定量描述网格型阻尼内构件对流场的影响。     

Local hydrodynamic parameters of bubble column reactors operating with non‐Newtonian liquids: Experiments and models development

The effects of liquid phase rheology on the local hydrodynamics of bubble column reactors operating with non‐Newtonian liquids are investigated. Local bubble properties, including bubble frequency, bubble chord length, and bubble rise velocity, are measured by placing two in‐house made optical fiber probes at various locations within a bubble column reactor operating with different non‐Newtonian liquids. It was found that the presence of elasticity can noticeably increase the bubble frequency but decreases the bubble chord length and its rise velocity. The radial profiles of bubble frequency, bubble chord length, and bubble rise velocity are shown to be relatively flat at low superficial gas velocity while they become parabolic at high superficial gas velocity. Moreover, the bubble size and gas holdup are correlated with respect to dimensionless groups by considering the ratio between dynamic moduli of viscoelastic liquids. The novel proposed correlations are capable of predicting the experimental data of bubble size and gas holdup within a mean absolute percentage error of 9.3% and 10%, respectively. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 1382–1396, 2016     

Experimental and numerical investigations of scale-up effects on the hydrodynamics of slurry bubble columns

Experiments and simulations were conducted for bubble columns with diameter of 0.2 m(180 mm i.d.), 0.5 m(476 mm i.d.) and 0.8 m(760 mm i.d.) at high superficial gas velocities(0.12–0.62 m·s-1) and high solid concentrations(0–30 vol%). Radial profiles of time-averaged gas holdup, axial liquid velocity, and turbulent kinetic energy were measured by using in-house developed conductivity probes and Pavlov tubes. Effects of column diameter, superficial gas velocity, and solid concentration were investigated in a wide range of operating conditions. Experimental results indicated that the average gas holdup remarkably increases with superficial gas velocity, and the radial profiles of investigated flow properties become steeper at high superficial gas velocities. The axial liquid velocities significantly increase with the growth of the column size, whereas the gas holdup was slightly affected. The presence of solid in bubble columns would inhibit the breakage of bubbles, which results in an increase in bubble rise velocity and a decrease in gas holdup, but time-averaged axial liquid velocities remain almost the same as that of the hollow column. Furthermore, a 2-D axisymmetric k–ε model was used to simulate heterogeneous bubbly flow using commercial code FLUENT 6.2. The lateral lift force and the turbulent diffusion force were introduced for the determination of gas holdup profiles and the effects of solid concentration were considered as the variation of average bubble diameter in the model. Results predicted by the CFD simulation showed good agreement with experimental data.     

Local hydrodynamics of gas–liquid-nanoparticles three-phase fluidization

The laser Doppler anemometer (LDA) and conductivity probes were used for measuring the local hydrodynamic performances such as gas holdup and liquid velocity in a lab-scale gas–liquid–TiO₂ nanoparticles three-phase bubble column. Effects of operating parameters on the local gas holdup and liquid velocity were investigated systematically. Experimental results showed that local averaged axial liquid velocity and local averaged gas holdup increased with increasing superficial gas velocity but decreased with increasing TiO₂ nanoparticles loading and the axial distance from the bottom of the bubble column. A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model was developed in this paper to simulate the structure of gas–liquid–TiO₂ nanoparticles three-phase flow in the bubble column. The time-averaged and time-dependent predictions were compared with experimental data for model validation. A successful prediction of instantaneous local gas holdup, gas velocity, and liquid velocity were also presented.