Region-dependent mass transfer behavior in a forced circulation airlift loop reactor

The contribution of local regions to global mass transfer holds the key to optimization and scale-up of a reactor. Extensive study has been conducted to investigate gas-liquid mass transfer occurring in the internal airlift loop reactor, but mostly restricted to global mass transfer performance. A cold model forced circulation internal airlift loop reactor was employed and divided into six regions in which dissolved oxygen concentration in slurry and mass transfer interfacial area were measured respectively. Different models were utilized to calculate volumetric mass transfer coefficient. Contributions of individual region to global mass transfer performance were calculated and compared. It was found that mass transfer coefficient and mass transfer interfacial area of individual region increases with increasing superficial gas velocity and slurry feed flowrate. The feed affected region has the greatest mass transfer coefficient and volumetric mass transfer coefficient, contributing more than 30% to global mass transfer in most operating condition. Mass transfer interfacial area is close in the gas distributor region, feed affected region and the gas-slurry separator region. In the present work, circulating bubbles are rare and contribute negligibly to the global mass transfer. Global volumetric mass transfer coefficient is close to that of the gas-slurry separator region, ranging from 0.02 to 0.1 1/s. Comparison of k_La is made between this work and literatures, suggesting a great improvement of mass transfer due to external liquid circulation.     

Hydrodynamics in down flow jet loop reactor

Gas holdup and liquid circulation time were measured in a down flow jet loop reactor for air–water system. It was observed that the circulation time decreases with an increase in nozzle diameter, draft tube to column diameter ratio and liquid velocity. Th gas holdup increases with an increase in gas and liquid velocities. The optimum draft tube to column diameter ratio was found to be 0.438. Correlations for gas holdup and circulation time involving operational and geometrical variables are presented.     

Simulation and experimentation on the gas holdup characteristics of a novel oscillating airlift loop reactor

BACKGROUND: The classical airlift loop reactor (ALR) has been widely used in petrochemical, biochemical, energy and environmental processes due to such advantages as simple structure, without motional mechanism, easy sealing and low energy consumption. A novel ALR has been designed using forced periodic reversible ventilation, termed an airlift reversible loop reactor (ARLR). RESULTS: Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation and experimental validation, the mass transfer characteristics of the ARLR were studied. The simulation results predicted the experimental data well, especially at low ventilation capacity. The oscillation period had significant effects on gas holdup and the mass transfer coefficient of the ARLR. When ventilation capacity was increased from 0.22 to 3.49 vvm, compared with central airlift and annular airlift reactors, ARLR increased the mass transfer coefficient by 9–31% and 10–58%, respectively, according to simulation results, and by 11–25% and 14–58%, respectively, according to experimental data. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the ARLR could significantly enhance gas holdup and mass transfer coefficient compared with traditional central airlift and annular airlift reactors. Results indicated that the optimum oscillation period decreased with increase of ventilation capacity. ARLR has the potential for application in aerobic fermentation. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

三相多室气升式环流反应器气含率的研究

在1个4流道的三相多室气升式环流反应器中,以空气-水-K树脂为体系,采用压差法测量气含率,考察了上升室气体表观速率、固体装载量对上升室与下降室气含率的影响.结果表明:上升室的气含率随着该室气体表观速率增加而增加,而随着另一上升室气体表观速率增加而略有降低;下降室的气含率随着该室气体表观速率增加呈现3种变化趋势,而随着另...     

Gas holdup and overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient in a modified reversed flow jet loop reactor

Experiments were conducted in a modified reversed flow jet loop reactor having the liquid outlet at the top of the reactor to determine the gas holdup and overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient in the air-water system. The influence of gas and liquid flow rates, and the draft tube to reactor diameter ratio were studied. It was observed that both gas holdup and volumetric mass transfer coefficient increased with increased gas and liquid flow rates and were found to be significantly higher in the modified reactor compared to the conventional one. The optimum draft tube to reactor diameter ratio was found to be in the range of 0.4 to 0.5. Empirical correlations are presented to predict gas holdup and overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient in terms of operational and geometrical variables.     

气升式外环流反应器的体积传质系数

以Higbie的渗透理论和Kolmogoroff的湍流理论为基础,提出了计算液体旋涡在气液相界面暴露时间的方法,并建立了预测体积传质系数的模型方程。在不同管径比下的外环流反应器中,对空气 水体系测定了操作气速对体积传质系数、循环液速和气含率的影响。将体积传质系数与表观气速和下降管与上升管的面积比按幂函数进行关联,其预测值和试验值符合较好。     

Liquid circulation hydrodynamics in an external loop airlift reactor

The radial profiles of axial liquid velocity and gas hold‐ups are investigated in the riser of a pilot plant scale external loop airlift reactor (ELAR) using a modified Pavlov tube and differential pressure technique. The experimental investigation reveals that there exist two different kinds of liquid circulation structures in an ELAR, which has rarely been reported in the literature, namely internal liquid circulation, which exists only in the riser and external liquid circulation, which circulates through the downcomer. A power–law relationship is used to correlate the gas hold‐up and superficial gas velocity, which gives good agreement with experimental data. Experiments for axial liquid velocity profiles are analysed in analogy to a model described for a conventional bubble column. The results predicted by the model are in excellent agreement with the experimental data obtained under various operating conditions. © 2011 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering     

气升式振荡环流反应器的数值模拟和结构优化

气升式振荡环流反应器（ARLR）作为一种新型的气升式环流反应器,能够有效地提高反应器的气含率和传质系数,并已得到生物发酵实验的验证。本文通过CFD的手段研究了反应器内的流动和传质状况,并利用CFD模拟和响应面分析相结合的方法,优化了反应器的结构参数,如高径比（H/D）、升液区降液区面积之比、导流筒高度等。经过实验测量,优化后的气升式振荡环流反应器与传统的气升式环流反应器相比,气含率提高了32%以上,传质系数提高了11%以上。结果表明,气升式振荡环流反应器作为生化反应器有着非常广阔的应用空间。     

Hydrodynamics of a novel multi-stage external loop airlift reactor

In the present investigation a novel multi-stage external loop airlift reactor with hydro-dynamically induced continuous bubble generation, breakup and regeneration has been proposed. The system has been designed to operate with relatively large sized bubbles, so that interfacial circulation can be induced in the liquid-bubble interfaces and faster transfer of components can take place by turbulent diffusion through the interface of the bubbles and also due to the physical rupture and reformation of the bubbles. The system was also designed to operate in three stages operating in series so that in each stage completely deaerated liquid could be brought in contact with freshly generated bubbles. Detailed studies on the gas holdup and liquid circulation velocity have been carried out with respect to various values of superficial gas as well as liquid velocities. The gas holdup of the proposed multi-stage system is 45% higher than the single stage system, which results in better mass transfer characteristics. Empirical correlations describing the performance of the proposed reactor have been presented in this paper.     

多室环流反应器气含率的三维数值模拟与分析

在常温常压条件下,以空气为气相、水为液相,对多室气升式环流反应器内气液两相流动状态进行了数值模拟,采用Euler两相流模型模拟了不同表观气速条件下各室气含率的分布情况。数值模拟计算结果表明,上升室气含率随表观气速的增大近似呈线性增长;各上升室气含率受自身表观气速的影响较大,而受另外一上升室表观气速的影响较小。     

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     

Studies on the hydrodynamic behavior and mass transfer in a down‐flow jet loop reactor with a coaxial draft tube

The effects of certain pertinent parameters such as gas and liquid flow rates and nozzle position on the behavior of a down‐flow jet loop reactor (DJR) have been studied. The mean residence times of gas and liquid phases and the gas holdup within the reactor have been measured. In addition, the overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient, and the influence of the gas flow rate and the position of the nozzle inside the draft tube on the latter has been determined. Correlations have been presented for the gas holdup and k_La which take into account the length of the draft tube and the nozzle immersion height. The k_La values obtained at different power per unit volume (P/V) values in the DJR used in the present study compare favorably with data presented for stirred tanks and bubble columns in the literature. The liquid residence time distribution (RTD) within the reactor has been studied by tracer analysis for various operating conditions and nozzle immersion height and the results are indicative of the high mixing intensities that can be obtained in such reactions. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

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.     

Gas holdup in a two‐phase reversed flow jet loop reactor

Experimental investigations have been carried out in Reversed Flow Jet Loop Reactor (RFJLR) to study the influence of liquid flow rate, gas flow rate, immersion height of two‐fluid nozzle in reactor and nozzle diameter on gas holdup without circulation, that is, gas–liquid mixture in draft tube only (E_gd) and gas holdup with circulation loop (E_g). Also critical liquid flow rate required for transition from draft tube to circulation loop has been determined. Gas holdup was measured by isolation valve technique. Gas holdup in draft tube and circulation loop increased with increase in liquid flow rate and gas flow rate. It is observed that the increased flow rate is required for achieving a particular value of gas holdup with larger nozzle diameter. Nozzle at the top edge of draft tube have higher gas holdup as compared to other positions. It has been noted that, no significant recirculation of gas bubbles into the top of draft tube from annulus section has been observed till a particular liquid flow rate is reached. A plot of gas holdup with no circulation and with circulation mode determines minimum liquid flow rate required to achieve complete circulation loop. Critical liquid flow rate required to achieve complete circulation loop increases with increase in gas flow rate and is minimum at lowest immersion height of two‐fluid nozzle.     

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.     

三相强制外循环环流反应器内的局部气泡行为

为适应新兴的工艺过程，提出一种带有强制外循环的中心气升式内环流反应器。根据结构特点及流动状态不同，将强制外循环环流反应器分为6个流动区域，即环流反应器底部区、气体分布器影响区、浆液进料影响区、导流筒上行区、气液分离区和环隙区。研究了不同流动区域内的局部气泡特性。发现不同流动区域内气泡直径沿径向的分布有较大差异，倒锥形底部结构显著影响了环流气泡的数量与直径。推导出了不同流动区域内平均气泡直径的理论模型，模型结果与实验数据吻合较好。     

两级气液内环流反应器内气含率和循环液速

基于多釜串联可以有效减小返混的原理,通过引入特殊设计的级间构件构建了一种新型的两级内环流反应器。实验研究了级间构件形式、表观气速、表观液速和气液分离器对每一级内气含率和循环液速的影响。实验结果表明,表观气速对反应器二级(上一级)中上升管与下降管气含率之差和循环液速影响较大,而对一级(下一级)的影响较小;各级内上升管和下降管的气含率均随表观液速的增大而减小,但影响程度较小。基于推动力和阻力平衡建立了预测反应器中每一级的气含率和循环液速的流体力学模型,模型预测值与实验结果吻合较好。     

Influence of geometry on gas holdups in a reversed flow jet loop reactor

The effects of ratio of draft tube to reactor diameter (D_d/D), liquid nozzle diameter (d_N), aeration tube diameter (d_G) and immersion height of the two-fluid nozzle into the draft tube (H_N) on overall and annulus gas holdups for the air-water system were evaluated experimentally in a reversed flow jet loop reactor over wide ranges of gas and liquid flow rates. Both the gas holdups increased with increasing gas and liquid flow rates and with decreasing d_N and H_N. The influence of d_G on gas holdups is found to vary with gas flow rates. Correlations are proposed to predict gas holdups.     

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.