LOCAL HYDRODYNAMICS IN AN EXTERNAL LOOP AIRLIFT SLURRY REACTOR WITH AND WITHOUT A RESISTANCE-REGULATING ELEMENT

The hydrodynamic behavior of an external loop airlift slurry reactor (ALSR) with and without a resistance-regulating element was studied with a fiber optic probe and ultrasound Doppler velocimetry. The influences of the superficial gas velocity and solid holdup on the global gas holdup and radial profiles of the suspension circulation velocity in the downer and of gas holdup, bubble size, and bubble rise velocity in the riser were studied. Local measurements allow a better understanding of the flow behavior in the reactor and can be used for CFD modeling and validation. Experimental results show that the resistance-regulating element increases the gas holdup and decreases the suspension circulation velocity, indicating that an optimum design of the flow resistance is needed to obtain the maximum gas-liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient for a specific superficial gas velocity. A high superficial gas velocity and low solid holdup are favorable for increased uniformity of the radial profile of the gas holdup and bubble rise velocity. Hydrodynamic models that predict the gas holdup and suspension circulation velocity were developed for an ALSR with and without a resistance-regulating element. Good agreement was obtained between measured and predicted values.     

Gas holdup and bubble dynamics in a three-phase internal loop reactor with external slurry circulation

As modified three-phase fluidized reactors, loop reactors have been widely used in the area of chemical and energy processes. An external slurry circulation is introduced into a traditional internal loop reactor to improve the transfer between gas and slurry phases. Gas holdup and bubble dynamics are investigated by using the double-sensor conductivity probe technique in the present work. The results show that gas holdup inside the draft tube is greatly affected by the geometrical configuration and is much higher than that in the corresponding section of the annular region. Local, section-averaged, and overall gas holdups increase with increasing superficial gas velocity, while the effects of solid loading and external slurry circulation velocity are less significant than that of superficial gas velocity. Both local bubble size and bubble rise velocity vary significantly in different regions.     

Hydrodynamics and bubble behaviour in a three-phase two-stage internal loop airlift reactor

Local hydrodynamics of a gas–liquid–solid system,such as bubble circulation regime,gas holdup,liquid velocity and axial profile of solid concentration,are studied in a two-stage internal loop airlift reactor.Empirical correlations for gas holdup and liquid velocity are proposed to ease the reactor design and scale-up.Different bubble circulation regimes were displayed in the first(lower) and second(upper) stages.Increasing superficial gas velocity and solid loading can promote regime transition of the second stage,and the gas holdup of the second stage is higher than that of the lower stage.In addition,the effects of solid loading on bubble behaviour are experimentally investigated for each stage.It is found that bubble size in the downcomer decreases with the presence of solid particles,and bubble size distribution widens under higher superficial gas velocity and lower solid loading.     

浆态床鼓泡反应器中气含率的分布

为了解浆态床鼓泡反应器中气含率的分布规律,在浆态床鼓泡反应器冷模试验装置中,以空气-液体石蜡-氧化铝微球为试验介质对装置内部的气含率进行研究。利用压差法研究了表观气速、浆液固含量等操作条件对反应器床层总体气含率的影响,利用光纤探针法研究了浆态床反应器不同操作条件对局部气含率的影响,总结了反应器内部气含率的分布规律,并由此对工业浆态床鼓泡反应器的设计进行了研究。结果表明:浆态床反应器的总体气含率随表观气速的增大而增大,固体细颗粒的加入能适当降低总体气含率;在反应器底部,分布器对气体的均布作用明显,但表观气速的增大能够弱化分布器的作用;在反应器的中上部气含率不受分布器的影响,沿反应器径向呈现"中间高,边缘低"的分布趋势;在工业费托浆态床中,表观气速不宜低于0.12 m/s,内过滤系统适宜设置于反应器中上部靠近器壁的位置。     

Experimental investigation on multiscale hydrodynamics in a novel gas–Liquid–Solid three phase jet-Loop reactor

Multiphase flow hydrodynamics in a novel gas–liquid–solid jet-loop reactor (JLR) were experimentally investigated at the macroscales and mesoscales. The chord length distribution was measured by an optical fiber probe and transformed for bubble size distribution through the maximum entropy method. The impacts of key operating conditions (superficial gas and liquid velocity, solid loading) on hydrodynamics at different axial and radial locations were comprehensively investigated. JLR was found to have good solid suspension ability owing to the internal circulation of bubbles and liquid flow. The gas holdup, axial liquid velocity, and bubble velocity increase with gas velocity, while liquid velocity has little influence on them. Compared with the gas–liquid JLRs, solids decrease the gas holdup and liquid circulation, reduces the bubble velocity and delays the flow development due to the enhanced interaction between bubbles and particles (Stokes number >1). This work also provides a benchmark data for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model validation. © 2019 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 65: e16537, 2019     

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.     

鼓泡床反应器内流动与传质行为的研究进展

总结了有关浆态鼓泡床反应器内流动、混合用气液传质特性的研究成果,详细地介绍了鼓泡床反应器内气含率、液速、液体轴向扩散系数、传质系数的测量方法,阐述了鼓泡床反应器性能的主要影响因素,如系统压力、温度、气体表观气速、液体性质及固含率等对流动、液相混合和传质特性的影响,并对鼓泡床反应器的应用前景进行了详述.     

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).     

Hydrodynamics of a slurry airlift reactor at high solid concentrations

The hydrodynamics of a slurry airlift reactor at high solid concentrations were experimentally studied. The influences of the average solid concentration, superficial gas velocity and particle size on the radial and axial profiles of the solid holdup, average gas holdup and liquid circulation velocity were investigated. The local solid holdup was measured with an electrical conductivity probe. At low solid concentrations or high superficial gas velocities, the radial profile of the solid holdup was uniform. At high solid concentrations, the radial profile of the solid holdup was nonuniform, with higher values near the wall. This radial nonuniformity increased with decreased superficial gas velocity or increased average solid concentration. The axial profile of the cross-sectional average solid holdup was uniform at all conditions in this work, even at high solid concentrations. The average gas holdup and liquid circulation velocity increased with the superficial gas velocity but decreased with the average solid concentration. A mathematical model based on the balance of the transverse lift force and turbulent dispersion force was proposed to predict the radial profile of the solid holdup. Reasonable predictions were obtained from this model with an adjustable model parameter.     

Hydrodynamics of a Multi‐Stage Internal Loop Airlift Reactor

The local hydrodynamic properties in a multi‐stage internal loop airlift reactor were investigated in this study. The gas‐liquid two‐phase flow hydrodynamic properties, including gas holdup, bubble velocity, bubble diameter, and liquid circulation velocity at various stages were measured by dual electrical resistivity probes and conductivity cells. Detailed studies on the gas holdup, bubble velocity, bubble diameter, and liquid circulation velocity were conducted with respect to various values of superficial gas. The Zuber and Findlay drift flux model was used to represent the variation of slip velocity with total gas‐liquid velocity at various stages and the model fits the data well.     

气液外环流反应器中气泡行为的实验研究

详细考察了气液外环流反应器中上升管、下降管的气泡行为随轴向、径向的变化规律. 由于外环流反应器的结构特点,发现在上升管底部存在偏流,并对分布板区气泡行为随角向的变化规律进行了研究. 分析实验结果得出,气含率和气泡速度均随表观气速的升高而升高;在上升管内,气含率和气泡速度自中心向边壁逐渐降低,而沿轴向变化很小;在分布板区,由于受分布器及下降管的影响,使气含率和气泡速度在不同角向存在不同的径向分布. 在下降管中,气含率自中心向边壁逐渐降低,而气泡速度则基本不变;且下降管中的气体循环率随表观气速的升高而升高.     

Radial Profiles of Gas Bubble Behavior in a Gas‐Liquid Bubble Column Reactor under Elevated Pressures

The effects of operating conditions on radial variation of gas holdups, bubble swarm rising velocity, and Sauter mean diameter were investigated in a bubble column reactor under elevated pressures using a conductivity probe method. Air served as gas phase and tap water as liquid phase with varying gas velocity and pressure. All three parameters increased constantly with higher superficial gas velocity. Maximum holdup, velocity, and Sauter mean diameter were found at the center of the cross section. Two different cases for Sauter mean diameter distribution were observed. The gas holdups increase continuously with higher system pressure, but decrease for bubble swarm rising velocity and Sauter mean diameter. According to experimental results, an empirical correlation of the gas holdup profiles is presented.     

浆料鼓泡塔反应器部分流体力学参数研究综述

本文综述了浆料鼓泡塔反应器的主要流体力学参数－流域,气泡的大小和上升速度,相含率和固定颗粒悬浮的临床气速等－的测定和影响因素。简要介绍了国外采用的汉体力学参数测定方法－动态气体逸出法。     

气液固三相浆态床反应器研究进展

由于在甲醇合成、费托合成等工艺中的成功应用,气液固三相浆态床反应器的研究引起了越来越多的重视.本文综述了有关浆态床反应器方面的研究,包括:流体力学性能、反应器设计、固液分离以及产业化进程.详细地介绍了影响浆态床反应器流体力学性能的主要因素:压力、温度、气体表观气速、液体性质及固含率等对流型、气含率、气泡停留时间分布和传质系数的影响.总结了近年来在浆态床反应器设计和固液分离方面的研究成果.     

固含率对沸腾床反应器气泡行为的影响

采用动态气体逸出法,在高7.0 m、直径0.3 m的有机玻璃塔中研究了固含率对沸腾床反应器内气泡行为特性的影响。在表观气速2.16~21.62 cm/s和固含率9.8%~39.0%（体积分数）范围内测定了反应器内的总气含率、大小气泡含率、大小气泡上升速度及其尺寸等参数。结果表明：总气含率随着表观气速的增大而增大,随着固含率的增大而减小。随着表观气速的增大,大气泡含率、大气泡直径及其上升速度均呈增大趋势;小气泡含率明显增大,但小气泡上升速度和直径趋于减小。随着固含率的增大,大气泡含率略有降低,但大气泡直径及其上升速度都明显增大;当固含率超过19.5%（体积分数）后,小气泡上升速度几乎下降为0;当固含率达到29.3%（体积分数）时,小气泡基本消失。     

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。     

CFD‐Facilitated Flow Field Analysis of Bubble Columns with Concentric Plates for Biological Applications

As the hydrodynamic behavior in bubble columns is difficult to characterize, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a useful alternative tool for research and design. An experimental and computational analysis of the macromixing and gas holdup of a bubble column indicates that 3D simulations with CFD using an Eulerian‐Eulerian approximation yield results of the overall velocity field and gas holdup distribution that are suitable for engineering design purposes. Particularly, CFD simulations uncover that the inclusion of concentric solid plates into a bubbling column increase the gas holdup by 79 % and the mixing time by 48 % when compared with a column without plates operating at similar superficial gas velocities.     

Hydrodynamic study in a slurry-bubble-column reactor

Local gas holdup, bubble diameter and bubble rise velocity in the nitrogen/Drakeol-10 oil system were measured at both laboratory (ambient temperature and pressure) and industrially relevant (high temperature and pressure) conditions using a dual conductivity probe in a slurry-bubble-column reactor. It was found that a constant superficial velocity, the Sauter mean bubble diameter decreases with increasing pressure and temperature. The bubble rise velocity significantly decreases as the pressure increases. Large bubbles rise faster than smaller bubbles. Akita and Yoshida's correlation [1] was utilized to compute the bubble size. Predicted values agree with the experimental data at high temperature.     

高长径比三相内环流反应器中细颗粒相含率和循环液速的分布研究

在高径比为22的三相内环流反应器中,在常温常压下以空气-水-石英砂为物系,研究了在不同粒径下上升区固含率、下降区固含率和上升区循环液速随表观气速的变化规律和不同粒径下轴向固含率的分布情况,以及在固体体积分数不同的条件下,平均气含率和上升区气含率随表观气速的变化情况。结果表明:当粒径(ds)≤0.3 mm时,上升区固含率随表观气速的增加呈平缓变化趋势,下降区固含率随表观气速的增加而增加;当0.3 mm相似文献   

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.