Oxygen mass transfer coefficient in bubble column slurry reactor with ultrafine suspended particles and neural network prediction

The gas–liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient was determined by the dynamic oxygen absorption technique using a polarographic dissolved oxygen probe and the gas–liquid interfacial area was measured using dual‐tip conductivity probes in a bubble column slurry reactor at ambient temperature and normal pressure. The solid particles used were ultrafine hollow glass microspheres with a mean diameter of 8.624 µm. The effects of various axial locations (height–diameter ratio = 1–12), superficial gas velocity (u_G = 0.011–0.085 m/s) and solid concentration (ε_S = 0–30 wt.%) on the gas–liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient k_La_L and liquid‐side mass transfer coefficient k_L were discussed in detail in the range of operating variables investigated. Empirical correlations by dimensional analysis were obtained and feed‐forward back propagation neural network models were employed to predict the gas–liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient and liquid‐side mass transfer coefficient for an air–water–hollow glass microspheres system in a commercial‐scale bubble column slurry reactor. © 2012 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering     

Mass Transfer Characteristics of Syngas Components in Slurry System at Industrial Conditions

The gas‐liquid mass transfer behavior of syngas components, H₂ and CO, has been studied in a three‐phase bubble column reactor at industrial conditions. The influences of the main operating conditions, such as temperature, pressure, superficial gas velocity and solid concentration, have been studied systematically. The volumetric liquid‐side mass transfer coefficient k_La is obtained by measuring the dissolution rate of H₂ and CO. The gas holdup and the bubble size distribution in the reactor are measured by an optical fiber technique, the specific gas‐liquid interfacial area aand the liquid‐side mass transfer coefficient k_L are calculated based on the experimental measurements. Empirical correlations are proposed to predict k_L and a values for H₂ and CO in liquid paraffin/solid particles slurry bubble column reactors.     

Gas Holdup and Volumetric Mass Transfer Coefficient in a Slurry Bubble Column

The gas holdup, ?, and volumetric mass transfer coefficient, k_La, were measured in a 0.051 m diameter glass column with ethanol as the liquid phase and cobalt catalyst as the solid phase in concentrations of 1.0 and 3.8 vol.‐%. The superficial gas velocity U was varied in the range from 0 to 0.11 m/s, spanning both the homogeneous and heterogeneous flow regimes. Experimental results show that increasing catalyst concentration decreases the gas holdup to a significant extent. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient, k_La, closely follows the trend in gas holdup. Above a superficial gas velocity of 0.04 m/s the value of k_La/? was found to be practically independent of slurry concentration and the gas velocity U; the value of this parameter is found to be about 0.45 s^–1. Our studies provide a simple method for the estimation of k_La in industrial‐size bubble column slurry reactors.     

Gas‐Liquid Mass Transfer in Fibrous Bed Reactor with Counter‐Current Liquid Recycle

In this work, the gas‐liquid mass transfer in a lab‐scale fibrous bed reactor with liquid recycle was studied. The volumetric gas‐liquid mass transfer coefficient, k_La, is determined over a range of the superficial liquid velocity (0.0042–0.0126 m.s^–1), gas velocity (0.006–0.021 m.s^–1), surface tension (35–72 mN/m), and viscosity (1–6 mPa.s). Increasing fluid velocities and viscosity, and decreasing interfacial tension, the volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient increased. In contrast to the case of co‐current flow, the effect of gas superficial velocity was found to be more significant than the liquid superficial velocity. This behavior is explained by variation of the coalescing gas fraction and the reduction in bubble size. A correlation for k_La is proposed. The predicted values deviate within ± 15 % from the experimental values, thus, implying that the equation can be used to predict gas‐liquid mass transfer rates in fibrous bed recycle bioreactors.     

Hydrodynamics,Mass Transfer and Gas Scrubbing in a Co‐current Droplet Column Operating at High Gas Velocities

The main objective of this work was to propose a new process for household fume incineration treatment: the droplet column. A feature of this upward gas‐liquid reactor which makes it original, is to use high superficial gas velocities (13 m s^–1) which allow acid gas scrubbing at low energy costs. Tests were conducted to characterize the hydrodynamics, mass transfer performances, and acid gas scrubbing under various conditions of superficial gas velocity (from 10.0 to 12.0 m s^–1) and superficial liquid velocity (from 9.4·10^–3 to 18.9·10^–3 m s^–1). The following parameters characterized the hydrodynamics: pressure drops, liquid hold‐ups, and liquid residence time distribution were identified and investigated with respect to flow conditions. To characterize mass transfer in the droplet column, three parameters were determined: the gas‐liquid interfacial area (a), the liquid‐phase volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k_La) and the gas‐phase volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k_Ga). Gas absorption with chemical reaction methods were applied to evaluate a and k_Ga, while a physical absorption method was used to estimate k_La. The influence of the gas and liquid velocities on a, k_La, and k_Ga were investigated. Furthermore, tests were conducted to examine the utility of the droplet column for the acid gas scrubbing, of gases like hydrogen chloride (HCl) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂). This is a process of high efficiency and the amount of pollutants in the cleaned air is always much lower than the regulatory European standards imposed on household waste incinerators.     

Gas‐Liquid Mass Transfer in a Slurry Bubble Column at High Slurry Concentrations and High Gas Velocities

The volumetric mass transfer coefficient k_La in a 0.1 m‐diameter bubble column was studied for an air‐slurry system. A C₉‐C₁₁ n‐paraffin oil was employed as the liquid phase with fine alumina catalyst carrier particles used as the solid phase. The n‐paraffin oil had properties similar to those of the liquid phase in a commercial Fischer‐Tropsch reactor under reaction conditions. The superficial gas velocity U_G was varied in the range of 0.01 to 0.8 m/s, spanning both the homogeneous and heterogeneous flow regimes. The slurry concentration ?_S ranged from 0 to 0.5. The experimental results obtained show that the gas hold‐up ?_G decreases with an increase in slurry concentration, with this decrease being most significant when ?_S < 0.2. k_La/?_G was found to be practically independent of the superficial gas velocity when U_G > 0.1 m/s is taking on values predominantly between 0.4 and 0.6 s^–1 when ?_S = 0.1 to 0.4, and 0.29 s^–1, when ?_S = 0.5. This study provides a practical means for estimating the volumetric mass transfer coefficient k_La in an industrial‐size bubble column slurry reactor, with a particular focus on the Fischer‐Tropsch process as well as high gas velocities and high slurry concentrations.     

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.     

HYDRODYNAMICS AND MASS TRANSFER IN DOWNFLOW BUBBLE COLUMN

Gas holdup, effective interfacial area and volumetric mass transfer coefficient were measured in two and three phase downflow bubble columns. The mass transfer data were obtained using the chemical method of sulfite oxidation, and the gas holdup was measured using the hydrostatic technique. Glass beads and Triton 114 were used to study the effects of solids and liquid surface tension on the gas holdup and the mass transfer parameters a and k_L a . The gas holdup in three phase systems was measured for non-wettable (glass bead) and wettable (coal and shale particles) solids.

The mass transfer data obtained in the downflow bubble column were compared with the values published for upflow bubble columns. The results indicate that in the range of superficial gas velocities (0.002-0.025) m/s investigated, the values of the mass transfer coefficient were of the same order of magnitude as those observed in upflow systems, but the values of interfacial area were at least two fold greater. Also, the results showed that the operating variables and the physical properties had different influences on a and k_L a in the downflow bubble column. Correlations for a and k_L a for the downflow bubble column are proposed which predict the data with adequate accuracy in the range of operating conditions investigated.     

Interfacial Area and Liquid‐Side Volumetric Mass Transfer Coefficient in a Downflow Bubble Column

An experimental investigation was made to measure interfacial area, a, and liquid‐side volumetric mass transfer coefficient, k_La, in a downflow bubble column by chemical methods viz., absorbing CO₂ in aqueous sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate/bicarbonate buffer solution respectively. The effect of gas and liquid flowrate and nozzle sizes on a and k_La were investigated. The experimental data obtained in the present system were analyzed and correlations were developed to predict a and k_La in terms of superficial gas velocity. The variation of a and k_La with specific power input were shown in graphical plot and compared with other gas‐liquid systems.     

Gas‐Liquid Mass Transfer in Pulp Retention Towers

The volumetric gas‐liquid mass transfer rate, k_La, was measured under batch conditions in a 0.28 m diameter laboratory‐scale retention column. Tests on water, and on unbleached kraft (UBK) pulp suspensions (mass fractions, C_m from 0.013 to 0.09) were made with air or nitrogen sparged through the column at superficial gas velocities between 0.0015 to 0.05 m/s. k_La varied with suspension mass concentration and superficial gas velocity, initially decreasing with increasing mass concentration, reaching a minimum between C_m = 0.03 and 0.06, and then increasing. The minimum in k_La coincided with a change in hydrodynamics within the column, from bubble column behaviour below C_m = 0.03 to porous solid behaviour above C_m = 0.06.     

Mass transfer behaviour of gas-liquid jet loop reactors

A special type of jet loop reactor (JLR), designed for continuous operation and short residence times was investigated with regard to its mass transfer behaviour, described by the volumetric mass transfer coefficient k_La. The jet stream and superficial gas velocities are varied in two JLRs of different sizes, equipped with different nozzles. Fully desalinated water, 0.08 molar NaCI solution and solutions of different concentration of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) are used as the liquid phase. A steady-state physical method is employed to determine k_La: air oxygen is purged from the liquid phase by gaseous nitrogen. The measurements show that the reactor is characterized by high power density and high mass transfer performance. No limit of mass transfer capacity was observed in the chosen ranges of volumetric gas and liquid flow rates, i.e. at a given jet stream velocity, the relationship between k_La and the superficial gas velocity is nearly linear. The investigations show that the mass transfer contributed by the jet stream largely depends on liquid phase composition.     

Oxygen transfer in viscous non-Newtonian liquids having yield stress in bubble columns

The oxygen transfer and hydrodynamics in viscous media having a yield stress in bubble columns operated under the slug flow regime were investigated to design an optimum bubble column fermentor for culture media having a yield stress.The gas holdup of escapable bubbles was well estimated by the equation of Nicklin et al. (Trans. Inst. Chem. Eng. 40 (1962) 61), which was modified for the viscous liquid having a yield stress by Terasaka and Tsuge (Chem. Eng. Sci. 58 (2003) 513). The volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient k_La increased with increasing superficial gas velocity and decreasing column diameter under the present conditions. To predict k_La in the non-Newtonian liquids having a yield stress under the operation in slug flow regime, the proposed correlation equation estimated relatively well the experimental k_La.To increase oxygen transfer rate, two types of novel bubble columns were compared with the standard bubble column. The partitioned bubble column presented the better performance than those of the other ones.     

Hydrodynamics and mass transfer in an upward venturi/bubble column combination

The hydrodynamics and mass transfer characteristics of a venturi/bubble column combination were studied at high liquid superficial velocities of up to 0.35 m/s. The gas hold-up was increased by 50% to 150% and the overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient was tripled when the venturi was used as “gas distributor” instead of a porous distributor. A correlation of the overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient (K_La) with the gas hold-up, valid for gas hold-ups as high as 0.3, was proposed for the cylindrical bubble column section. The energy consumption per mole of oxygen transferred was lower than with most distributors and the oxygen transfer rate per unit of reactor volume was higher than in a bubble column with a porous distributor. The venturi/bubble column combination is a compact and efficient system which does not have the operating problems of systems which require internals.     

Hydrodynamic and mass transfer characteristics of bubble and packed bubble columns with downcomer

The hydrodynamic and mass transfer characteristics of bubble and packed bubble columns with downcomer were investigated. The contactor consisted of two concentric columns of 0.11 and 0.2 m i.d., with the annulus acting as the downcomer. The packing used in this investigation was standard 16 mm stainless steel Pall rings. The superficial gas and liquid velocities, V_G and V_L, were varied from 0.01 to 0.09 and 1 × 10^?3 to 8.8 × 10^?3 m s^?1 respectively. Two flow patterns, namely the bubble and pulse flows were observed in the packed bubble column with downcomer, as shown by a flow map. The liquid circulation velocity in both the contactors was observed to be constant throughout the ranges of V_G and V_L covered in this work. The effect of liquid viscosity (0.8 to 9.5 mPa ? s) and surface tension (45 to 72 mN m^?1) on the flow pattern, liquid circulation, gas hold-up and pressure drop was investigated. The pressure drop characteristics across the two contactors have been compared with those across a bubble column. Values of the effective interfacial area, a, and the volumetric mass transfer coefficient, k_L a, were measured by using chemical methods. Values of a as high as 180 and 700 m^?1 and k_L a as high as 0.075 and 0.22 s^?1, in the bubble and packed bubble columns with downcomer, respectively, were obtained. The values of true liquid-side mass transfer coefficient, k_L, were found to be independent of V_G and were of the order of 5.5 × 10^?4 and 3.5 × 10^?4 m s^?1, respectively, in the two contactors.     

Influence of medium composition on oxygen transfer rate in animal cell culture

Experiments were conducted in a 0.25 m diameter bubble column to investigate the effect of medium composition on oxygen transfer rate. Aqueous solutions, the composition of which mimics a mammalian cell culture medium, are used. The effect on oxygen transfer rate of additives used to protect cells against local hydrodynamic stresses induced by bubble coalescence and bursting is addressed, in the range of operating conditions (aeration rates) met in animal cell cultures. The mass transfer coefficient, the liquid viscosity and surface tension, and the bubble size distribution are measured as a function of liquid composition and of gas superficial velocity, allowing to decouple the effects of the different additive on k_L and on a.     

Gas holdup,bubble size distribution,and mass transfer in an airlift reactor with ceramic membrane and perforated plate distributor

The airlift reactor is one of the most commonly used gas–liquid two-phase reactors in chemical and biological processes. The objective of this study is to generate different-sized bubbles in an internal loop airlift reactor and characterize the behaviours of the bubbly flows. The bubble size, gas holdup, liquid circulation velocity, and the volumetric mass transfer coefficient of gas–liquid two-phase co-current flow in an internal loop airlift reactor equipped with a ceramic membrane module (CMM) and a perforated-plate distributor (PPD) are measured. Experimental results show that CMM can generate small bubbles with Sauter mean diameter d₃₂ less than 2.5 mm. As the liquid inlet velocity increases, the bubble size decreases and the gas holdup increases. In contrast, PPD can generate large bubbles with 4 mm < d₃₂ < 10 mm. The bubble size and liquid circulation velocity increase as the superficial gas velocity increases. Multiscale bubbles with 0.5 mm < d₃₂ < 10 mm can be generated by the CMM and PPD together. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient k_La of the multiscale bubbles is 0.033–0.062 s⁻¹, while that of small bubbles is 0.011–0.057 s⁻¹. Under the same flow rate of oxygen, the k_La of the multiscale bubbles increases by up to 160% in comparison to that of the small bubbles. Finally, empirical correlations for k_La are obtained.     

Statistical analysis of effects of experimental variables on mass transfer coefficient in a novel hybrid bubble column using Box–Behnken design

Statistical analysis of effects of experimental variables on volumetric mass transfer coefficient in a novel hybrid rotating and reciprocating perforated plate bubble column is studied. The novel bubble column is designed indigenously using bevel gear arrangement. Agitation level, superficial gas velocity, superficial liquid velocity, perforation diameter and plate spacing are the experimental variables. Air–sodium sulphite solution system is used in this investigation. The Box–Behnken design in response surface methodology is employed for statistical analysis. The relationship between experimental variables and the desired response of volumetric mass transfer coefficient is established for this novel hybrid column. The linear, quadratic and interactive effects of experimental variables are found to be significant on the desired response of volumetric mass transfer coefficient. Results show that the data adequately fit into the second‐order polynomial model. An F‐test and P‐value show the significance of parameters on volumetric mass transfer coefficient. © 2012 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering     

Bubble shape,gas flow and gas–liquid mass transfer in pulp fibre suspensions

Gas–liquid mass transfer in pulp fibre suspensions in a batch‐operated bubble column is explained by observations of bubble size and shape made in a 2D column. Two pulp fibre suspensions (hardwood and softwood kraft) were studied over a range of suspension mass concentrations and gas flow rates. For a given gas flow rate, bubble size was found to increase as suspension concentration increased, moving from smaller spherical/elliptical bubbles to larger spherical‐capped/dimpled‐elliptical bubbles. At relatively low mass concentrations (C_m = 2–3% for the softwood and C_m ? 7% for the hardwood pulp) distinct bubbles were no longer observed in the suspension. Instead, a network of channels formed through which gas flowed. In the bubble column, the volumetric gas–liquid mass transfer rate, k_La, decreased with increasing suspension concentration. From the 2D studies, this occurred as bubble size and rise velocity increased, which would decrease overall bubble surface area and gas holdup in the column. A minimum in k_La occurred between C_m = 2% and 4% which depended on pulp type and was reached near the mass concentration where the flow channels first formed.     

Mass transfer characteristics in a gas-liquid reciprocating plate column. I. Liquid phase volumetric mass transfer coefficient

In a series of two papers the results of investigating the mass transfer characteristics of two gas-liquid reciprocating plate columns of the Karr type by different methods are presented. The subject of the first part is a study of the liquid phase volumetric mass transfer coefficient, k_La, while the second part deals with the interfacial area. The volumetric coefficient k_La was investigated using the sulphite method, the pure physical absorption of oxygen, and a dynamic method under culture conditions, the second of these three methods being the most favorable. Very good agreement among these methods was found. Generally, k_La increased with increasing vibration intensity, superficial gas velocity, and the number of perforated plates. Liquid-phase properties appeared to affect k_La only slightly. The coefficient k_La was correlated in terms of the maximum power consumption and the superficial gas velocity:      

Improving Gas‐Liquid Mass Transfer in Bubble Columns by Applying Low‐Frequency Vibrations

We show that application of low‐frequency vibrations, in the 50–200 Hz range, to the liquid phase of an air‐water bubble column causes significantly smaller bubbles to be generated at the distributor plate. For bubble column operation in the homogeneous flow regime, measurements of the volumetric mass transfer coefficient using the oxygen absorption technique show that the increase in the k_La values ranges from 50–100 % depending on the flow rate. It is concluded that application of low‐frequency vibration has the potential of improving the performance of bubble columns.