Hydrodynamics and local mass transfer characterization under gas–liquid–liquid slug flow in a rectangular microchannel

Gas–liquid–liquid three-phase slug flow was generated in a glass microreactor with rectangular microchannel, where aqueous slugs were distinguished by relative positions to air bubbles and organic droplets. Oxygen from bubbles reacted with resazurin in slugs, leading to prominent color changes, which was used to quantify mass transfer performance. The development of slug length indicated a film flow through the corner between bubbles and the channel wall, where the aqueous phase was saturated with oxygen transferred from bubble body. This film flow results in the highest equivalent oxygen concentration within the slug led by a bubble and followed by a droplet. The three-phase slug flow subregime with alternate bubble and droplet was found to benefit the overall mass transfer performance most. These results provide insights into a precise manipulation of gas–liquid–liquid slug flow in microreactors and the relevant mass transfer behavior thereof.     

垂直管内弹状气泡上升中壁面传递的实验研究

垂直管内弹状流壁面传递是诸多工业应用中需研究的重要问题之一。今用极限扩散电流技术,对弹状气泡上升时瞬时壁面剪应力和传质系数进行了测定,结果显示:当基于表观气速的Froude数FrG < 0.74时,壁面剪应力随弹状气泡和液塞的到来呈现方向相反的交替变化,壁面传质系数亦相应变化;而当FrG > 0.74时,剪应力方向一直向下,说明液膜向下流动,且弹状气泡和液塞的到来对壁面传质系数的影响很小。这说明下落液膜射流穿透了液塞段,控制了整个壁面传递过程。研究还对下落液膜区、尾迹区及液塞段的不同传递特征及机理进行了分析, 并结合气泡塔熔融结晶器中弹状气泡上升时的传热,对结晶操作条件的合理选择进行了讨论。     

弹状流液弹区含气率分布的试验研究

采用光纤探针法和高速摄影法对垂直上升气液两相弹状流的液弹区含气率分布进行了试验研究,测试管径为15 mm。一种基于机器学习的图像处理技术用来识别气液两相界面,通过搭建气泡边界提取的神经网路系统,使用构建的气泡边界数据库对模型进行多次迭代训练,该方法可以有效地识别多种复杂类型的气泡边界。试验得到了弹状流液弹区的径向含气率分布曲线,结果表明,壁峰分布是液弹区含气率分布的主要形式,其中泰勒气泡的尾迹效应对分布形式有重要影响,尾迹的旋涡中心和含气率分布的峰值相对应。针对弹状流液弹区径向含气率分布的两个主要特征——中心局部含气率和壁峰位置,分别提出了相应的预测公式,且与本文的试验数据吻合良好。     

微通道内气-液弹状流动及传质特性研究进展

气-液弹状流,又称Taylor流,是一种以长气泡和液弹交替形式流动的流动形态。微通道内气-液弹状流因其气泡与液弹尺寸分布均一、停留时间分布窄、径向混合强等优点,是一种适于强化气-液反应的理想流型。本文首先介绍了微通道内气泡的生成机理、气泡和液弹长度,以及气泡生成阶段的传质特征。其次系统综述了主通道中弹状流动及传质过程的研究进展,包括气泡形状与液膜厚度、液弹内循环和泄漏流特征、气-液传质系数的测量与预测,以及物理与化学吸收过程中的传质特性等方面内容。最后阐述了当前研究的不足并展望了气-液弹状流的研究方向。     

Study of an air-lift system,Part II: Heat transfer in co-current,vertical two-phase,non-boiling flows

Heat transfer at the inner wall for co-current vertical air-water mixture flow has been investigated in a 161.5 mm diameter pumping tube of an air-lift system. The experimental heat transfer coefficients were found to be significantly higher than those calculated from a single liquid phase correlation for the same liquid flow rate. The enhancement of heat transfer was found to be related to the flow pattern. A decrease of the heat transfer coefficient was observed in the transition region from slug flow to churn flow. Hydrodynamic and heat transfer models have been used to describe heat transfer during the slug flow regime and a correlation is proposed for the heat transfer coefficient in the liquid plug behind the gas bubble.     

DYNAMIC SLUG TRACKING SIMULATIONS FOR GAS-LIQUID FLOW IN PIPELINES

A Lagrangian slug tracking model for dynamic gas-liquid slug flow in pipelines of varying inclinations has been formulated and implemented in C + + using an object-oriented approach. Slugs and bubbles are discrete computational objects which are coupled by exchange of mass and momentum, and organized in linked lists

The flow parameters are determined from dynamic integral mass and momentum balances on each slug and bubble. A subgrid is used in bubbles extending over pipe sections with different inclinations

Slugs and bubbles are initiated at the pipe inlet, or at low points along a pipeline, and the propagation of individual slugs are tracked dynamically, and without numerical diffusion. Some sample cases demonstrate how the structure of the flow can be followed as it evolves from terrain effects, expansion and wake effects. These are effects that may in some instances cause slugs to disappear and merging of bubbles during simulations. Terrain slugging compulations compare well with some experimental data.     

微通道分流弹状流的界面过程及压力演变规律

弹状流分流不仅能调控两相流流型从而强化传热,同时也是生物化工、制药行业的传统过程。针对壁面微通道分流液相、调控两相流型的过程进行数值模拟,获得局部参数变化规律,是获得两相流流型演变机理的基础。采用VOF模型耦合动态自适应网格精准追踪气液界面,模拟气液界面在分液口的界面运动;获得轴向及壁面静压、动压的演变规律。通过模拟可知微通道分流弹状流的关键是气弹在分液口的类活塞运动;同时由于界面拉普拉斯压力差的存在,弹状流压降具有不连续性;且此不连续压力随气弹在分液口的类活塞运动具有周期波动性。而弹状流液桥部分的局部压降是影响总压降的关键;近气弹头部的液相区压降显著,近气弹尾部的液相区域由于液速降低其压降明显衰弱;此为弹状流有别于其他两相流流型的压降特点。     

水平管油气两相段塞流及其传热特性

海底油气管道的冷却传热过程是结蜡、水合物等海洋石油工业流动保障问题的关键控制因素。采用电容探针与热电偶、热电阻等流动及温度测量手段对不同冷却条件下空气-油段塞流的流动参数和传热参数进行实验测量,分析了空气-油段塞流流动参数对传热特性的影响,并与空气-水对流换热进行对比。结果表明,空气-油段塞流对流传热系数主要受液相折算速度的影响,且冷却液温度越低,管底热流体黏度越大,导致热边界层越厚,传热系数降低;受黏性力及边界层影响,对流传热系数远小于空气-水;沿管壁周向,从管顶到管底的对流传热系数不断增大。提出了适用于冷却条件下的油气段塞流传热关联式和传热模型。     

Void fraction measurement and calculation model of vertical upward co-current air–water slug flow

The focus of this paper is on the measurement and calculation model of void fraction for the vertical upward co-current air–water slug flow in a circular tube of 15 mm inner diameter. High-speed photography and optical probes were utilized, with water superficial velocity ranging from 0.089 to 0.65 m·s^-1 and gas superficial velocity ranging from 0.049 to 0.65 m·s^-1. A new void fraction model based on the local parameters was proposed, disposing the slug flow as a combination of Taylor bubbles and liquid slugs. In the Taylor bubble region, correction factors of liquid film thickness C_δ and nose shape C_Z^* were proposed to calculate α_TB. In the liquid slug region, the radial void fraction distribution profiles were obtained to calculate α_LS, by employing the image processing technique based on supervised machine learning. Results showed that the void fraction proportion in Taylor bubbles occupied crucial contribution to the overall void fraction. Multiple types of void fraction predictive correlations were assessed using the present data. The performance of the Schmidt model was optimal, while some models for slug flow performed not outstanding. Additionally, a predictive correlation was correlated between the central local void fraction and the cross-sectional averaged void fraction, as a straightforward form of the void fraction calculation model. The predictive correlation showed a good agreement with the present experimental data, as well as the data of Olerni et al., indicating that the new model was effective and applicable under the slug flow conditions.     

CFD modelling of liquid–liquid multiphase microstructured reactor: Slug flow generation

Microreactor technology, an important method of process intensification, offers numerous potential benefits for the process industries. Fluid–fluid reactions with mass transfer limitations have already been advantageously carried out in small-scale geometries. In liquid–liquid microstructured reactors (MSR), alternating uniform slugs of the two-phase reaction mixture exhibit well-defined interfacial mass transfer areas and flow patterns. The improved control of highly exothermic and hazardous reactions is also of technical relevance for large-scale production reactors. Two basic mass transfer mechanisms arise: convection within the individual liquid slugs and diffusion between adjacent slugs. The slug size in liquid–liquid MSR defines the interfacial area available for mass transfer and thus the performance of the reactor. There are two possibilities in a slug flow MSR depending on the interaction of the liquids with the solid wall material: a dispersed phase flow in the form of an enclosed slug in the continuous phase (with film—complete wetting of the continuous phase) and an alternate flow of two liquids (without film—partial wetting of the continuous phase). In the present work, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methodology is developed to simulate the slug flow in the MSR for both types of flow systems. The results were validated with the experimental results of Tice et al. (J.D. Tice, A.D. Lyon and R.F. Ismagilov, Effects of viscosity on droplet formation and mixing in microfluidic channels, Analytica Chimica Acta507 (1) (2004), pp. 73–77.).     

The pressure drop experiment to determine slug lengths in multiphase monoliths

The length of the liquid slugs, that separate the elongated bubbles in Taylor flow, is an important parameter for mass transfer, flow stability and pressure drop in capillary microchannels. In this work, pressure drop measurements are used to determine the length of slug in Taylor flow in downflow monoliths. The method is sensitive if the slugs are relatively short, less than 10 times the channel diameter. The pressure drop measurements are a cheap and fast alternative to tomographic or electric methods. Experiments using different distributors indicate that the slug length varies significantly with changes in the hydrodynamics in the feed section of the monoliths. Slug length correlations that are based on parameters inside the channels can therefore not safely be used for a different setup. As a result, the slug length should be measured in each experimental setup, which makes a inexpensive and robust method to do so very welcome.     

Hydrogenation of 2‐ethylanthraquinone under Taylor flow in single square channel monolith reactors

The hydrogenation of 2‐ethylanthraquinone (EAQ) to 2‐ethylanthrahydroquinone (EAHQ) was carried out under Taylor flow in single square channel monolith reactors. The two opening ends of opaque reaction channel were connected with two circular transparent quartz‐glass capillaries, where Taylor flow hydrodynamics parameters were measured and further used to obtain practical flow state of reactants in square reaction channels. A carefully designed gas‐liquid inlet mixer was used to supply steady gas bubbles and liquid slugs with desired length. The effects of various operating parameters, involving superficial gas velocity, superficial liquid velocity, gas bubble length, liquid slug length, two‐phase velocity and temperature, on EAQ conversion were systematically researched. Based on EAQ conversion, experimental overall volumetric mass transfer coefficients were calculated, and also studied as functions of various parameters as mentioned earlier. The film model, penetration model, and existing semi‐empirical formula were used to predict gas‐solid, gas‐liquid, and liquid‐solid volumetric mass transfer coefficients in Taylor flow, respectively. The predicted overall volumetric mass transfer coefficients agreed well with the experimental ones. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009     

高压高过冷度下过冷流动沸腾数值模拟

采用双流体模型对高压高过冷度下垂直圆管中水的过冷流动沸腾进行了数值模拟。通过对比不同气泡直径模型,揭示了气泡直径对于壁面传热方式的影响,确定了适合高压工况的气泡直径模型。考察了压力及壁面热通量对流动及传热特性的影响。计算结果表明,压力增加气泡脱离直径减小,单相对流传热所占比例增加,表面传热系数减小。高压高过冷度特征决定了气泡相分布极不均匀,随着热通量的增加,壁面附近容易形成气泡的密集,对过冷流动沸腾中的传热特性有重要影响。     

蛇形微通道内泄漏流特性

微流体系统通常具备极大的比表面积、易于控制等优势,在气-液相传质、传热、反应等方面具有良好的应用前景。本文考察了6个气液相体系在矩形截面蛇形微通道中的气液两相泰勒流流动情况以及气泡和液弹的动态行为,以气泡截面形状的几何模型为基础,得到了微通道中净泄漏流的量化方程。同时发现在较大的操作区间内,蛇形微通道对泄漏流的可控性优于直形微通道。并且详细分析了不同气液相流量、液相物性（表面张力和黏度）和气泡长度对蛇形微通道主通道净泄漏流的具体影响。     

IMPROVED HYDRODYNAMIC MODEL OF TWO-PHASE SLUG FLOW IN VERTICAL TUBES

Merits of the Fernandes model(Fernandes et al.1983)for two-phase slug flow in verticaltubes are reviewed in this paper.While predicting many macroscopic parameters of slug flow in verti-cal tubes,it fails to present correctly the trend that the average voidage in liquid slugs increases asthe rising velocity of Taylor bubbles is increased.It is also desirable to extend its application toelectrolyte systems, and to churn flow conditions.Based on the diagnostic analysis,the model equa-tion for gas entrainment by falling liquid film is reformulated and the influence of surface tension isalso accounted for.Development of the falling liquid film is recognized in the revised model in or-der to suit the case of short Taylor bubbles as well.The modified model predicts the variation of av-erage voidage in liquid slugs in good agreement with available experimental data.     

Hydrodynamic studies of liquid–liquid slug flows in circular microchannels

The aim of the work presented was to clarify the existence of a wall film and its influence on the hydrodynamics of liquid–liquid slug flow capillary microreactor.The methodology of the laser induced fluorescence (LIF) was adopted for visualisation purposes. The measurement of the light intensity profiles revealed a fully developed wall film for a variety of aqueous–organic two-phase systems in glass and PTFE capillaries of 1 mm internal diameter. In addition an acid as a quenching agent enabled the observation of the internal circulation patterns within the liquid slugs, as the fluorescent dye was deactivated by the acid diffusing in from the dye-free phase. A well-defined internal circulation pattern was always present in the wetting phase, i.e. that forming the wall film, leading to uniform mixing in the slugs of this phase. Stagnant zones and local circulation vortices, indicated by variations in the concentrations of the quenched dye, were observed in the non-wetting dispersed phase. These more complex flow structures varied little with the slug velocity, but were strongly dependent on the physical properties of the liquid–liquid system. To predict slug shape and hydrodynamics within the liquid slugs, CFD simulations were carried out using the volume-of-fluid method (VOF) based on the incompressible Navier–Stokes equation with appropriate boundary conditions between the two phases. The slug generation process was studied in a T-junction with 1 mm internal diameter inlets. The implementation of the wetting contact angle, measured in the visualisation experiments for the various systems, led to realistic slug lengths and shapes. The velocity vector plot indicated a fully developed internal circulation pattern within the simulated slugs. Calculations for a single slug with a non-wetting condition gave rise to a wall film in the simulated system.The results obtained demonstrate the significance of the wall film in the hydrodynamics and mass transfer liquid–liquid slug flow and reveal the presence of hitherto unsuspected complex patterns in place of simple single Taylor vortex flow assumed in the past.     

垂直上升气液两相弹状流模型

基于等效弹单元思想,改进了预测垂直上升管中充分发展气液弹状流流动特性的模型。 模型中考虑了界面切应力对液膜运动的影响;并在液弹空隙度预测中引入临界气体夹带速度的概念,以此来描述弹状流中大气泡尾部的混合特性。本文提出的模型还考虑了管径对液弹空隙度的影响。弹状流模型的计算结果得到本文及其他作者实验数据的验证。     

Experimental study and CFD modelling of a two-phase slug flow for an airlift tubular membrane

The aim of the present study was to develop a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model to study the effect of slug flow on the surface shear stress in a vertical tubular membrane. The model was validated using: (1) surface shear stresses, measured using an electrochemical shear probe and (2) gas slug (Taylor bubble) rising velocities, measured using a high speed camera. The length of the gas slugs and, therefore, the duration of a shear event, was observed to vary substantially due to the coalescing of gas slugs as they travelled up the tube. However, the magnitude of the peak surface shear stress during a shear event was not observed to vary significantly. The experimental conditions significantly affected the extent to which the gas slugs coalesced. More coalescing between gas slugs was typically observed for the experiments performed with higher gas flow rates and lower liquid flow rates. Therefore, the results imply that the frequency of shear events decreases at higher gas flow rates and lower liquid flow rates.Shear stress histograms (SSH) were used as a simple approach to compare the different experimental conditions investigated. All conditions resulted in bi-modal distributions: a positive surface shear peak, caused by the liquid slug, and a negative shear peak caused by the gas slugs. At high gas flow rates and at low liquid flow rates, the frequency of the shear stresses in both the negative and positive peaks were more evenly distributed. For all cases, increasing the liquid flow rate and decreasing the gas flow rate tends to result in a predominant positive peak. These results are of importance since conditions that promote evenly distributed positive and negative peaks, are likely to promote better fouling control in membrane system. At high liquid and low gas flow rates, the frequencies obtained numerically and experimentally were found to be similar, deviating by less than approximately 10%. However, at high gas and low liquid flow rates, the differences were slightly higher, exceeding 20%. Under these conditions, the CFD model simulations over predicted the shear stresses induced by gas slugs. Nonetheless, the results indicate that the CFD model was able to accurately simulate shear stresses induced by gas slugs for conditions of high liquid and low gas flow rates.     

Use of models for lift, wall and turbulent dispersion forces acting on bubbles for poly-disperse flows

Closure laws are needed for the qualification of CFD codes for two-phase flows. In case of bubbly and slug flow, forces acting on the bubbles usually model the momentum transfer between the phases. Several models for such forces can be found in Literature. They show, that these forces depend on the liquid flow field as well as on the size and the shape of the bubbles. A validation of consistent sets of bubble force models for poly-disperse flows is given, basing on a detailed experimental database for vertical pipe flows, which contains data on the radial distribution of bubbles of different size as well as local bubble size distributions. A one-dimensional (1D) solver provides velocity profiles and bubble distributions in radial direction. It considers a large number of bubble size classes and is used for the comparison with the experiments. The simplified model was checked against the results of full 3D simulations done by the commercial code CFX-5.7 for simplified monodisperse cases. The effects of the number of bubbles classes as well as the effect of the lateral extension of the bubbles were analyzed. For the validation of bubble force models measured bubble size distributions were taken as an input for the calculation. On basis of the assumption of an equilibrium of the lateral bubble forces, radial volume fraction profiles were calculated separately for each bubble class. In the result of the validation of different models for the bubble forces, a set of Tomiyama lift and wall force, deformation force and Favre averaged turbulent dispersion force was found to provide the best agreement with the experimental data. Some discrepancies remain at high liquid superficial velocities.     

水平管段塞流持液率的波动特性

气液两相段塞流是液塞和长气泡在空间和时间上的交替,在流动过程中表现出间歇性和不稳定性.今对水平管中段塞流持液率的波动特性进行了分析.结果表明:在同一折算液速下,随着折算气速的增加,段塞单元的平均持液率和液膜持液率先快速下降再缓慢下降,而液塞持液率先缓慢下降再快速下降.段塞流持液率的概率密度分布为双峰分布,高持液率峰对应于液塞区,低持液率峰对应于液膜区;概率密度函数中较完好的峰所对应的持液率与光滑分层液膜区和液塞区的平均持液率相一致.