Liquid phase residence time distribution for a two-phase countercurrent flow in a packed column with a novel internal

The liquid phase residence time distribution (RTD) for gas–liquid countercurrent flow in a packed column with a novel internal was measured by conductivity measurements and an air–water system. The RTD of a liquid tracer is well represented by the ADM and PDE models. At lower gas flow rates, the Peclet number of the liquid in the packed column with the internal is lower than that without the internal; at higher gas flow rates, it is vice versa, especially with an internal with a higher volume fraction. The distribution of the liquid RTD can be improved by using suitable geometric parameters of the internal to give a larger volume fraction and a lower stage height.     

规整填料塔的壁流研究

以新的观点分析了填料塔内壁流产生、发展且最终达到平衡的过程。通过数学推导，得到了一个三参数壁流模型，并在实验基础上，进行模型的参数估计，从而求得了八种规整填料的壁流曲线。研究认为，壁流量的大小是填料塔内诸多因素综合影响的最终结果，而填料自身的几何形状和加工精度，是其中最重要的影响因素。通过实验，测取了这些填料的平衡壁流量，其中某些大于４８％。     

填料在充填浮选柱中的应用及研究

介绍了化工填料在浮选柱的应用及研究情况,探讨了填料在浮选柱中所起的作用,说明了今后的研究方法及方向。     

填料塔内流体轴向返混系数的确定

阐述了以示踪响应技术为基础确定填料塔内流体轴向返混系数的一种方法,首先对实验得到的示踪剂停留时间分布曲线采用等距法进行异常数据的剔除,再采用五点三次平滑公式进行滤波处理。然后用一维轴向扩散模型对曲线进行拟合,根据扩散模型在一定初始条件和边界条件下的解析解,采用时间域最小二乘法确定了轴向返混系数。结果表明,阐述的方法具有较高的精度。示踪停留时间曲线的实验测定值与其拟合值的均方差在0．034～0．096之间。     

Characteristics of the reactive distillation column with a novel internal

A new catalyst loading method, in which catalyst particles are packed in a reactor with a novel internal, has been studied by measuring pressure drop, RTD, liquid holdup and mass transfer. It can be inferred from experimental results that the internal changes the conventional gas and liquid counter-current flow into a new cross-current flow, so the problems of excessive pressure drop and “flooding” are avoided. When pressure drop, liquid holdup, RTD and mass transfer coefficient are similar, the catalyst loading fraction of the new method is much higher than that of conventional methods. Furthermore, the reactive distillation reactor with the novel internal has advantages such as simple structure, low operating cost, and convenience for installation and removal of the catalyst.     

On the development of flow pattern in a bubble column reactor: Experiments and CFD

A comprehensive analysis of the development of flow pattern in a bubble column reactor is presented here through extensive LDA measurements and CFD predictions. In the LDA measurements, the simultaneous measurements of 2D velocity-time data were carried out at several radial locations and many axial cross-sections of the column for two different spargers. The profiles of mean axial liquid velocity, fractional gas hold-up and bubble slip velocity showed excellent agreement between the predictions and the experimentally measured values. The experimental results showed that the mean tangential velocity varies systematically in the radial as well as along the axial co-ordinates. The turbulence parameters viz. turbulent kinetic energy, energy dissipation rate and eddy diffusivity were also analysed. The estimated values of local energy dissipation rate obtained using eddy isolation model were used for establishing the energy balance in the column. The experimental data were used for the estimation of normal and shear stress profiles. For the case of single point sparger, just above the sparger region, the bubble plume was seen to have a strong tangential component of motion thereby yielding higher gas hold-up slightly away from the centre. This visual observation was well captured in profiles of all the hydrodynamic parameters obtained from the experimental data. CFD simulations of the mean velocities, gas hold-up and turbulent kinetic energy compared well with the experimental results.     

LDA measurements of liquid velocities in a refractive index matched packed bubble column

LDA has been used to measure liquid velocities in a small-scale bubble column, internal diameter of 50 mm, packed with glass Raschig rings, 10 and 15 mm. A mixture of benzyl-alcohol and ethyl alcohol was index matched against the packing material. A method to separate the signals from liquid and bubbles was developed. It was found that the axial time-averaged liquid velocity was lower than that obtained in empty bubble columns, and that both the time-averaged liquid velocity and the RMS value of the liquid increased for the larger packing size.     

CFD-based analysis of the wall effect on the pressure drop in packed beds with moderate tube/particle diameter ratios in the laminar flow regime

In this work, the influence of the confining walls on pressure drop in packed beds is studied numerically for moderate tube/particle diameter ratios. Two different configuration types are investigated, a regular type and an irregular one. The regular configurations follow the atomic body-centered cubic and face-centered cubic structure in ideal crystals, whereas the modified ballistic deposition method is employed to generate the irregular configurations. To validate the simulation results, four experimental pressure drop correlations are used, namely by Ergun (1952) [1], by Carman (1937) [2], by Zhavoronkov et al. (1949) [3] and by Reichelt (1972) [4]. Simulation results for the regular configurations are in a good agreement with the Carman correlation. For the irregular configurations, which are closer to real packed beds, agreement with the correlations of Zhavoronkov et al. (1949) [3] and Reichelt (1972) [4] is better. This is explained by the fact that the latter two correlations take the wall effect into account. CFD simulations provide useful data on the flow field inside packed beds which can be used for the improvement and further optimization of the design and operation of packed bed reactors.     

Measurement and CFD simulation of single-phase flow in solvent extraction pulsed column

A CFD (computational fluid dynamics) model of a solvent extraction pulsed column has been developed and run with a single water phase. The results are compared with experimental measurements taken on a pilot scale column using PIV (particle image velocimetry).The pulsed column investigated had disk-doughnut internals and was operated under pulsing intensities ranging from 10 to 32.5 mm/s. PIV measurements of velocity were used to validate the CFD model and to characterise the pulsing flow of a single phase through the column. The CFD modelling was performed for the same geometry and operating conditions using a 2D computational grid and a low Reynolds Number k-ε turbulence model. An improved velocity prediction was achieved by adding a gap between the doughnut internal and the pulsed column wall. The combined measurements and predictions give insight into the effect of the geometry internals on the flow hydrodynamics in the pulsed column.     

Parametric and nonparametric model based control of a packed distillation column

Parametric and nonparametric model based control systems were applied to control the overhead temperature of a packed distillation column separating methanol–water mixture. Experimental and theoretical studies have been done to observe the efficiency and performance of both control systems. Generalized predictive control (GPC) system based on a parametric model has been tried to keep the overhead temperature at the desired set point. First, a parametric model which is controlled auto regressive integrated moving average (CARIMA) was developed and then the parameters of this model were identified by applying pseudo random binary sequence (PRBS) and using Bierman algorithm. After that this model was used to design the GPC system. Tuning parameters of the GPC system have been calculated using the simulation program of the packed distillation column. Using the predicted parameters, experimental and theoretical GPC systems were found very effective in controlling the overhead temperature. Dynamic matrix control (DMC) system based on a nonparametric model has been used to track the overhead temperature of the packed distillation column. For this purpose, a nonparametric model known as the dynamic matrix was determined using the reaction curve method. A step change in heat input to the reboiler was applied to the manipulated variable and the temperature of the overhead product was observed. After that, the dynamic matrix was used to design the DMC system. Several calculations have been done to define the DMC control parameters. The best values of the tuning parameter were used to realize the DMC system for controlling the overhead temperature experimentally and theoretically. In the presence of some disturbances, the DMC system gives oscillation and offset in experimental studies.     

错流填料塔SO_2吸收率的测定

研究了SO2在错流填料塔中的吸收率,结果表明,错流填料塔能更好地消除壁流,改善气液两相的接触状况;错流填料塔的吸收率明显大于普通填料塔,在气液两相流量一定时,吸收率随着板间距与塔径之比(H/D)的变化而变化,当H/D=0.8时,吸收率最大;当H/D<0.8时,随着气量的增加,吸收率逐渐减小,仅在小气速下,吸收率较大,在气速较大时,由于压降过大,导致吸收操作无法正常进行。     

Effects of water on steam rectification in a packed column

The effects of water on steam rectification, i.e., multi-stage saturated steam distillation, were investigated in a packed column. N-octane-p-xylene and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene-1,2,4-trimethylbenzene were used as test systems. Both binary systems are nearly ideal systems and insoluble in water, thus the effects of water in steam rectification can be clearly and definitely revealed. Such unpolar organic liquid is named as “oil”. The water/oil at column top can be separated and refluxed at different ratio. Compared with conventional rectification, there are some peculiar phenomena in steam rectification. Water greatly enhances the flooding vapor velocity of the rectification, in addition, water plays a predominant role in pressure drop of the packed bed near flooding point. It is clear that liquid water in the packed bed can promote mass transfer of steam rectification, especially for materials with higher viscosity. In a word, steam rectification can be operated at low temperature with good mass transfer.     

CFD simulation of effects of the configuration of gas distributors on gas-liquid flow and mixing in a bubble column

Numerical simulations of gas-liquid flow in a cylindrical bubble column of 400 mm in diameter at the superficial gas velocity were conducted to investigate effects of the configuration of gas distributors on hydrodynamic behaviour, gas hold-up and mixing characteristics. Eight different gas distributors were adopted in the simulation. The simulation results clearly show that the configuration of gas distributor have an important impact on liquid velocity and local gas hold-up in the vicinity of the gas distributor. Comparisons of the overall gas holdup and mixing time among different gas distributors have demonstrated that none of the adopted gas distributors was able to produce the highest interfacial area and also yield the shortest mixing time. The CFD modelling results reveal that an increase in the number of gas sparging pipes used in gas distributors is beneficial in improving the gas hold-up but is disadvantageous in reducing bubble size due to a decrease in turbulent kinetic dissipation. It has been demonstrated from the simulations that the appearance of asymmetrical flow patterns in the bubble column and the adoption of smaller gas sparging pipes for gas distributors are effective in improving the mixing characteristics.     

CFD modeling of the effect of absorbent size on absorption performance of a packed bed column

This paper reports a study on the ability of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling for analyzing the fluid flow hydrodynamics and absorption in a packed bed column. The water absorption by silica gel absorbents in an experimental packed bed was investigated, and the absorption performance of two different sizes of absorbent was studied. A series of experiments were carried out for five setups which are different in the weight ratio of the employed big to small absorbents. The CFD modeling was carried out for all five experimental setups. The predicted results show that by more replacing of the big absorbents with the small ones the water absorption increased. On the other hand, a greater pressure drop was observed as more small absorbents were used. The predicted absorption rates were compared with the measured values and on average a consistency within 11.6% was observed.     

Convective instability in packed beds with internal heat sources and throughflow

This article focuses on convective instabilities of throughflow in packed beds with internal heat sources. When a packed bed is heated with internal heat sources, the effects of throughflow on the onset conditions of convection have been examined numerically under the linear stability theory. The resulting conditions show that stationary instabilities occur at higher values of Darcy-Rayleigh number than the critical values as the amount of throughflow increases. The effects of free and rigid boundaries on the onset condition are also obtained for the Brinkman porous media with throughflow.     

Modelling and measurements of the velocity gradient and local flow direction at the pore scale of a packed bed

In a packed bed with single phase liquid flow, velocity gradient and local flow direction are measured at the pore scale using tri-segmented microelectrodes flush mounted at the surface of a sphere equator area. The experimental measurements are compared to numerical predictions deduced from the solution of a 3D model based on continuity and momentum balance equations.     

DEM-CFD simulation of the particle dispersion in a gas-solid two-phase flow for a fuel-rich/lean burner

The objective of this study was to numerically investigate the particle dispersion mechanisms in the gas-solid two-phase jet for a fuel-rich/lean burner by means of coupling the discrete element method (DEM) with the computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The DEM was employed to deal with the particle-particle and the particle-wall interaction in the computation of solid flow; while gas flow was computed by CFD based on the commercial software package Fluent. The particles with various Stokes numbers equal to 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 (corresponding to particle diameter 10.8, 24.17, 34.18, 48.38 and 59.21 μm, respectively) in the gas-solid fuel-rich/lean jet were investigated in this study. The particle-particle collision was simulated and its effect on the fuel-rich/lean separating performance was evaluated. The results show that the particle-particle collision occurred more frequently with the increasing of Stokes numbers from 0.1 to 3. The particle dispersion became more uniform between the fuel-rich side and the fuel-lean side for particles with small Stokes number; while for particles at St > 1, a better fuel-rich/lean separating performance was achieved. The efficiency of the DEM-CFD coupling method was validated by the corresponding experiments, and a good agreement between the simulation and experiments was achieved as a result of the particle-particle collision.     

CFD simulations of hydrodynamic/thermal coupling phenomena in a bubble column with internals

CFD simulations have been carried out in a full three‐dimensional, unsteady, Eulerian framework to simulate hydrodynamic/thermal coupling in a bubble column with internals. A first part of the study, dedicated to the hydrodynamic/thermal coupling in liquid single‐phase flows, showed that assuming constant wall temperature on the internals constitutes a reasonable approximation in lieu of comprehensive simulations encompassing shell flow and coolant flow together. A second part dealing with the hydrodynamics of gas–liquid flows in a bubble column with internals showed that a RNG k–ε turbulence model formulation accounting for gas‐induced turbulence was a relevant choice. The last part used these conclusions to build a hydrodynamic/thermal coupling model of a gas–liquid flow in a bubble column with internals. With a per‐phase RNG k–ε turbulence model and assuming constant wall temperature, it was possible to simulate heat transfer phenomena consistent with experimentally measured heat transfer coefficients. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010     

Investigation of the unsteady two-phase flow with small bubbles in a model bubble column using phase-Doppler anemometry

The unsteady two-phase flow of water laden with small air bubbles in a model bubble column is investigated experimentally. Phase-Doppler anemometry (PDA) is used for measuring the velocities of water and bubbles. The measured sizes of reflecting tracers in the water and of the air bubbles are used to discriminate between water and bubble data. The investigations are focussed on the unsteady behaviour of the flow and on the interaction between the two phases. The measurement of relative (slip) velocities between bubbles and water reveals information about the dynamic behaviour of the two-phase system under the action of buoyancy on the disperse phase. The evaluation of time series of bubble velocities yields insight into typical frequencies at which the flow fluctuates. It is shown that, at all locations in the flow field, the velocity probability density functions of bubbles and liquid can be described by two superimposed Gaussian functions. The bubbles belonging to the two Gaussians exhibit different slip velocities. The probability for the occurrence of bubble collisions is quantified on the basis of the PDA data.     

Control and dynamic analysis of a packed distillation column based on modeling approaches

In this work, dynamic analysis and control of a packed distillation column have been utilized theoretically and experimentally. In theoretical studies, two types of mathematical models stagewise (Frank model) and partial differential approaches (back-mixing model), were used. Packed distillation uses 1400 mm packing height, and packing type is rashing ring with 20-15 mm diameter. The reboiler was made from a 13 L glass container. Reflux ratio was adjusted by an on-line computer. The system temperature was measured with six thermocouples. For control studies, the reflux ratio and the reboiler heat dutywere chosen as manipulated variables. Perturbation in feed composition was utilized as the disturbance. Decoupling multivariable dynamic matrix control (DDMC) and Nondecoupling multivariable dynamic matrix control (NDMC) of overhead and bottom compositions were applied for control studies. Performance of the control system was tested by using an integral absolute error (IAE) criterion and it was also compared with decoupling multivariable PID control (DPID) and Nondecoupling multivariable PID control (NDPID).