LIQUID PHASE AXIAL BACKMIXING IN AN AIRLIFT LOOP BIOREACTOR WITH NON-NEWTONIAN FLUIDS

Liquid phase axial backmixing in the riser and downcomer sections of an airlift loop reactor with non-Newtonian fluids was investigated and determined by dynamic response technique with pulsed tracer input, dual probe detection and computer on-line analysis system under different superficial gas velocity conditions. This method was used to obtain the dispersion coefficient D_z for the individual sections of the reactor.

Kolmogoroff's theory of isotropic turbulence was applied to analyse the results of dispersion coefficient. The results show that the axial dispersion coefficient in the riser or downcomer section increases with increasing of superficial gas velocity and apparent viscosity of the fluid. The degree of mixing in the downcomer is higher than that in the riser under the experimental conditions.     

气升式环流反应器内传质行为的分析与测量

1 INTRODUCTION Airlift loop reactors have emerged as one of the most promising devices in chemical, biochemical and environmental engineering operations. Its main ad-vantages over conventional reactors include excellent contact among different phases, ease of removal or replenishment of particles, and high heat and mass transfer rates[1]. High gas-liquid contacting area and favorable flow pattern are the attractive features of this type of three-phase contactors. Typical processes that ca…     

Hydrodynamic Modelling of Internal Loop Airlift Reactor Applying Drift‐Flux Model in Bubbly Flow Regime

A new model for the liquid circulation rates in airlift reactor (ALR) is presented. The model is based on the energy balance for the flow loop (riser, turn riser‐downcomer, downcomer, and turn downcomer‐riser) coupled with a drift flux theory of two‐phase flow gas‐liquid system, considering a bubbly flow regime. The predicted values of the liquid circulation rates by the developed model are compared with experimental results performed in a 22 dm³ internal loop airlift reactor and with the results obtained in the literatures. The proposed model predicted the experimental results very well. Slip velocity relationship based on the drift flux model was proposed; including the gas holdup, bubble size and the liquid physical properties. The predicted slip velocity was similar to that obtained from the literature. The study revealed that appropriate arrangements of internal bioreactor parts can positively influence the liquid circulation velocity at the same energy consumption. The proposed models are useful in the design; scale up and characterization of the internal loop airlift reactors, and provides a direct method of predicting hydrodynamic behaviour in gas‐liquid airlift reactors.     

有无静态混合器时的机械搅拌气升式环流反应器传递特性研究

The mechanically stirred internal loop airlift reactors equipped with or without static mixers are devised for intensification of gas-liquid mass transfer rate. The influences of superficial gas velocity, agitation or static mixers on gas hold-up, mixing time, liquid circulating velocity and volumetric mass transfer coefficient have been investigated with tap water and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) aqueous solution. The experimental results indicate that mechanical agitation is more efficacious than static mixer in highly viscous media for improving mass transfer in airlift reactors. The empirical correlation of volumetric mass transfer coefficient with apparent viscosity, and energy consumption for mechanical agitation and aeration is developed.     

Circulation liquid velocity,gas holdup and volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient in external-loop airlift reactors

The effects of the horizontal connection length (0.1 ± L_e ± 0.5 m), the cross-sectional area ratio of downcomer-to-riser (0.11 ± A_d/A_r± 0.53), and the superficial gas velocity on gas phase holdups in the riser and downcomer were studied. The circulation liquid velocity, the mixing performance and the volumetric mass transfer coefficient in the external-loop airlift reactors were also measured. The horizontal connection length and A_d/A_r were major parameters which strongly affected the performance of external-loop airlift reactors. Useful correlations in the external-loop airlift reactors were obtained for gas holdups, the volumetric mass transfer coefficient, the circulation liquid velocity, and the mixing time.     

Experimental and Numerical Study of Gas-Liquid Flow in a Sectionalized External-Loop Airlift Reactor

The external loop airlift reactor(EL-ALR) is widely used for gas-liquid reactions. It's advantage of good heat and mass transfer rates compared to conventional bubble column reactors. In the case of fermentation application where a medium is highly viscous and coalescing in nature, internal in riser helps in the improvement of the interfacial area as well as in the reduction of liquid-phase back mixing. The computational fluid dynamic(CFD) as a tool is used to design and scale-up of sectionalized external loop airlift reactor. The present work deals with computational fluid dynamics(CFD) techniques and experimental measurement of a gas hold-up, liquid circulation velocity, liquid axial velocity, Sauter mean bubble diameter over a broad range of superficial gas velocity 0.0024≤U_G≤0.0168 m·s~(-1). The correlation has been made for bubble size distribution with specific power consumption for different plate configurations. The effects of an internal on different mass transfer models have been completed to assess their suitability.The predicted local mass transfer coefficient has been found higher in the sectionalized external loop airlift reactor than the conventional EL-ALR.     

三相环流反应器流体力学行为

气升式三相环流反应器综合了鼓泡塔和机械搅拌釜的优良性能,具有结构简单、无机械传动部件、易密封、造价低、容易实现工业放大等优点,在石油、化工、电化学和生物化工等领域得到了广泛应用．随着能源形势的日趋紧张,环流反应器在液相法合成甲醇、浆态床一步法合成二甲醚、煤液化等过程中的应用得到许多研究人员的重视,并取得了重要的研究进展．由于目前对其内部流动行为尚缺乏系统的认识,进行工业设计和操作过程中仍显理论指导不足     

Sensitivity Study on Modeling an Internal Airlift Loop Reactor Using a Steady 2D Two‐Fluid Model

The sensitivity study of bubbly flow in an internal airlift loop reactor is presented using a steady Reynolds averaging two‐fluid model. Comparative evaluation of different drag formulations, drag coefficient correlations, turbulence effect on the drag coefficient, outlet slip velocity, and bubble size is performed and the respective influence to the simulation results is highlighted. It is found that a complicated drag formulation may not result in reliable predictions. All the drag coefficient correlations underpredict the gas holdup if the influence of turbulence on the drag coefficient is not well incorporated. Fortunately, the global hydrodynamics is not sensitive to the outflow slip velocity for a wide range, so a steady two‐fluid model can be used to simulate the bubbly flow when the flow field is fully developed. The correct estimation of bubble size with properly selected correlations play an important role in successful simulation of gas‐liquid bubbly flow in airlift loop reactors.     

3‐D Simulations of an Internal Airlift Loop Reactor using a Steady Two‐Fluid Model

Three‐dimensional (3‐D) simulations of an internal airlift loop reactor in a cylindrical reference frame are presented, which are based on a two‐fluid model with a revised k‐? turbulence model for two‐phase bubbly flow. A steady state formulation is used with the purpose of time saving for cases with superficial gas velocity values as high as 0.12 m/s. Special 3‐D treatment of the boundary conditions at the axis is undertaken to allow asymmetric gas‐liquid flow. The simulation results are compared to the experimental data on average gas holdup, average liquid velocity in the riser and the downcomer, and good agreement is observed. The turbulent dispersion in the present two‐fluid model has a strong effect on the gas holdup distribution and wall‐peaking behavior is predicted. The CFD code developed has the potential to be applied as a tool for scaling up loop reactors.     

内过滤式喷射环流反应器混合特性研究

传统的喷射环流反应器应用于工业上的多相反应时一般采用外部分离,导致流程繁琐、能耗加大、甚至存在安全问题,本文在喷射环流反应器内设计了过滤式导流筒,以实现在反应器内进行多相反应和液固分离操作的连续化。用阶跃示踪法测定液相停留时间分布,考察了表观气速、过滤压力对该反应器混合特性的影响。结果显示:返混程度随表观气速的增大而增大;过滤压力增大,平均停留时间减小,返混程度增大,但过滤压力对返混的影响较弱。     

Effect of Surface Tension on Hydrodynamics and Mass Transfer Coefficient in Airlift Reactors

The hydrodynamics and volumetric mass transfer coefficient play important roles in the design and scale-up of airlift reactors. The effect of surface tension on hydrodynamics and volumetric mass transfer coefficient in internal loop airlift reactors was investigated. With reduction of the surface tension of the fluid, the hydrodynamic parameters raised, namely, gas phase holdup, flow regime transition point, and interfacial area, whereas the bubble diameter as well as the liquid velocity decreased and the volumetric mass transfer coefficient increased. Empirical correlations are proposed for gas-phase holdup and volumetric mass transfer coefficient in terms of dimensionless numbers and can be applied in the design of airlift reactors.     

Influences of top clearance and liquid throughput on the performances of an external loop airlift slurry reactor integrated mixing and separation

A new developed external loop airlift slurry reactor, which was integrated with gas–liquid–solid three-phase mixing, mass transfer, and liquid–solid separation simultaneously, was deemed to be a promising slurry reactor due to its prominent advantages such as achieving continuous separation of clear liquid from slurry and cyclic utilization of solid particles without any extra energy, energy-saving, and intrinsic safety design. The principal operating parameters, including gas separator volume, handling capacity, and superficial gas velocity, are systematically investigated here to promote the capabilities of mixing, mass transfer, and yield in the pilot external loop airlift slurry reactor. The influences of top clearance and throughput of the clear liquid on flow regime and gas holdup in the riser, liquid circulating velocity, and volumetric mass transfer coefficient with a typical high solid holdup and free of particles are examined experimentally. It was found that increasing the gas separator volume could promote the liquid circulating velocity by about 14.0% at most. Increasing the handling capacity of the clear liquid from 0.9 m~3·h~(-1) to 3.0 m~3·h~(-1) not only could increase the output without any adverse consequences, but also could enhance the liquid circulating velocity as much as 97.3%. Typical operating conditions investigated here can provide some necessary data and guidelines for this new external loop airlift slurry reactor to upgrade its performances.     

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.     

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     

Gas Hold‐up and Liquid Circulation Velocity in Gas‐Liquid‐Solid Airlift Reactors

Simple empirical correlations for gas hold‐up and liquid circulation velocity in two‐ and three‐phase airlift reactors are presented in this paper and their applicability has been demonstrated. The empirical correlations are good alternatives to the semi‐theoretical drift‐flux approach to predictions of gas hold‐ups and liquid circulation velocities in airlift reactors.     

HYDRODYNAMIC STUDIES ON LOOP REACTORS(Ⅱ) AIRLIFT LOOP REACTORS

Hydrodynamics of airlift loop reactors was studied in detail experimentally andtheoretically.An internal airlift loop reactor was designed and set up for this study.An instru-mentation system based on the electrochemical method was adapted to measure local gas holdup andliquid velocity.A two-dimensional two-fluid model based on the first principles was established andimplemented to model the flow in airlift loop reactors.A corrected turbulent model was incorporatedin the simulation.The shear rate,shear stress and energy dissipation are evaluated from the flowfield.The numerically predicted results and experimental data obtained from this work as well as thesereported in literature are analyzed and compared.     

Meßtechnik zur Charakterisierung von Gas/Flüssigkeits-Reaktoren

Measuring techniques for characterizing gas/liquid reactors . The article considers measuring techniques for the characterization of the phases in gas/liquid reactors. These include the velocity profile and turbulence in the continuous phase as well as holdup, size, and velocity of the dispersed phase. Also, methods for the determination of the specific interfacial area and the volumetric mass transfer coefficients are discussed. Measuring methods have made enormous advances in recent years. In spite of this, there is a lack of reliable methods, especially for use during reactions without disturbing the state of the reactor. It is suspected that probe technique will gradually fall into disuse and more and more attention will be focussed on contractless methods. This calls for further development of ultrasonic methods and methods relying on emission of light.     

大颗粒三相环隙气升式环流反应器流体力学行为

研究了大颗粒体系气升式环流反应器的流体力学行为,考察了表观气速和颗粒质量分数对床层膨胀高度、循环液速和固含率分布的影响。实验结果表明,按颗粒的运动状态不同可以将反应器内的流动分为3个区域,即固定床区域、膨胀床区域和循环床区域,各流动区域内的流动行为存在显著差异。随着颗粒质量浓度的增大,起始流化气速和最小循环气速均显著增大。基于三相流化床的流化模型和环流反应器的特点建立了相应的数学模型,对大颗粒三相气升式环流反应器的起始流化气速和最小循环气速进行了预测,模型预测值与实验测量值吻合良好。     

A structured catalytic bubble column reactor: hydrodynamics and mixing studies

This paper reports the results of a comprehensive experimental study of the hydrodynamics and mixing in two bubble column reactors of 0.1 and 0.24 m in diameter with KATAPAK-S^® as packing material. Total gas hold up and axial dispersion coefficients were measured in the structured bubble columns and the values were compared with experimental results obtained in the same work with empty bubble columns. The results reveal that the gas hold up in structured bubble columns is practically the same as in empty bubble columns when compared at the same superficial gas velocity based on open area available for gas–liquid dispersion. The presence of the structured elements in the bubble column reactor reduces the liquid phase backmixing by one order of magnitude.