PHASE DISTRIBUTION AND MIXING IN A JET BUBBLE COLUMN

This paper describes the results of an experimental study to evaluate phase holdups and RTD for a jet bubble column. The experimental data were obtained in a 61 cm diameter jet bubble column with a conical inlet. Air and water were used as a two-phase system. The ranges of gas and liquid velocities examined were 0 to 9 cm/sec and 0 to 0·6 cm/sec respectively, both based on the cylinder diameter. The experimental data indicate that in the conical section of the column, the gas holdup first decreases with an increase in distance away from the cone inlet, achieves a minimum and then increases until it reaches a somewhat constant value within the cylinder. Gas holdup varies radially with the maximum at the center and the minimum near the wall. Radially-averaged gas holdup increased with gas velocity and remained essentially unchanged with liquid velocity. The RTD measurements were correlated by a two-dimensional dispersion model. The axial dispersion coefficient increased linearly from the cone inlet to the cylinder. It also increased with the gas velocity. The radial dispersion coefficients were considerably smaller than the axial dispersion coefficients.     

Effect of particles on hydrodynamics and mass transfer in a slurry bubble column: Correlation of experimental data

The effects of particle concentration and size on hydrodynamics and mass transport in an air–water slurry bubble column were experimentally studied. When the particle concentration α_s increased from 0% to 20%, the averaged gas holdup decreased by ~30%, gas holdup of small bubbles and gas–liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient decreased by up to 50%, while the gas holdup of large bubbles increased slightly. The overall effect of particle size was insignificant. A liquid turbulence attenuation model which could quantitatively describe the effects of particle concentration and size was first proposed. Semi-empirical correlations were obtained based on extensive experimental data in a wide range of operating conditions and corrected liquid properties. The gas holdup and mass transfer coefficient calculated by the correlations agreed with the experimental data from both two-phase and three-phase bubble columns, with a maximum error <25%.     

加温加压下CFD-PBM耦合模型空气-水两相流数值模拟研究

计算流体力学与群体平衡模型（CFD-PBM）结合可有效地模拟鼓泡塔内流体行为,较准确地预测流场、相含率以及局部气泡尺寸分布。以直径100 mm、高1.3 m的加温加压鼓泡塔为模拟对象,在系统压力为1 MPa、表观气速为0.08~0.24 m/s、温度为30~160℃条件下系统地考察了空气-水体系的表观气速、温度以及固含率对平均气含率、大小气泡气含率、气泡直径和气泡尺寸分布等参数的影响。结果表明,平均气含率的模拟结果和实验值在10%的误差范围内吻合较好;温度的变化主要影响了塔内气泡的聚并和破碎,并用聚并破碎的机理解释了温度对其流体行为的影响。     

鼓泡塔内空气-醋酸体系流体力学参数的CFD-PBM耦合模型数值模拟

通过二维和三维CFD-PBM耦合模型对空气-醋酸体系中流体力学参数进行数值模拟,采用表面张力修正曳力模型与聚并模型,考察了醋酸浓度对鼓泡塔内气含率、气泡大小分布及轴向液速等参数的影响,与差压法、光纤探针和电阻层析成像技术（ERT）测量的实验数据进行了对比,并讨论分析了气含率和气泡直径等流体力学参数的模拟结果。结果表明,醋酸浓度在70%~80%（质量分数）范围内平均气含率存在最大值,且平均气含率的预测值在±10%误差内,三维模拟结果和ERT实验值吻合较好,说明修正后的模型在不同浓度醋酸体系中具有较好的预测性。     

Local hydrodynamic parameters of bubble column reactors operating with non‐Newtonian liquids: Experiments and models development

The effects of liquid phase rheology on the local hydrodynamics of bubble column reactors operating with non‐Newtonian liquids are investigated. Local bubble properties, including bubble frequency, bubble chord length, and bubble rise velocity, are measured by placing two in‐house made optical fiber probes at various locations within a bubble column reactor operating with different non‐Newtonian liquids. It was found that the presence of elasticity can noticeably increase the bubble frequency but decreases the bubble chord length and its rise velocity. The radial profiles of bubble frequency, bubble chord length, and bubble rise velocity are shown to be relatively flat at low superficial gas velocity while they become parabolic at high superficial gas velocity. Moreover, the bubble size and gas holdup are correlated with respect to dimensionless groups by considering the ratio between dynamic moduli of viscoelastic liquids. The novel proposed correlations are capable of predicting the experimental data of bubble size and gas holdup within a mean absolute percentage error of 9.3% and 10%, respectively. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 1382–1396, 2016     

基于EMMS方法的鼓泡塔反应器CFD及群平衡模拟

能量最小多尺度（energy-minimization multi-scale,EMMS）方法已经被应用于气液体系中群平衡（population balance model,PBM）模型的改进。EMMS模型可计算气泡破碎聚并过程的能量,进而获得聚并速率的修正因子。应用这一模型对高气速鼓泡塔进行了模拟计算,并进一步对比了均一尺径模型、CFD-PBM模型以及CFD-PBM-EMMS模型的模拟结果与实验数据。结果表明,在高表观气速条件下,基于EMMS方法的群平衡模型可以更加准确地预测鼓泡塔中不同高度的气泡尺径分布和轴向液速,同时提高了对整体气含率和局部气含率的模拟准确性。在表观气速为0.16 m·s^-1和0.25 m·s^-1时,CFD-PBM-EMMS模型对气泡尺径分布的预测精度更高,同时整体气含率模拟的相对误差下降为5%和15%,局部气含率模拟平均相对误差下降为8%和17%。     

Gas holdup in homogeneous and heterogeneous gas—liquid bubble column reactors

The velocity‐holdup relationship is the most important design parameter for gas—liquid bubble column reactors, providing the basis for the prediction of heat and mass transfer coefficients and information on hydrodynamic conditions. A summary of the literature on gas holdup in bubble columns is supplemented by new experimental results which extend the data range. A criterion for the gas velocity leading to the transition between homogeneous and heterogeneous regimes for perforated plate gas distributors has been developed. Correlations for gas holdup in both regimes are developed and verified against both new and existing data.     

Axial dispersion in a rectangular bubble column

This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the gas holdup and the liquid phase axial dispersion coefficient in a narrow packed and unpacked rectangular bubble column. In both cases the gas and liquid flow rates were varied and the data were obtained by employing standard tracer technique. The gas holdup and the axial dispersion coefficient for both the packed and unpacked columns were found to be dependent on the gas and liquid flow rates. For given gas and liquid velocities and a given packing size in the case of the packed column, the rectangular column gave significantly higher dispersion coefficients than a cylindrical column of the equivalent cross sectional area. This result agrees very well with the one predicted by the velocity distribution model. The correlations for the Peclet number, the axial dispersion coefficient, and the fluid holdup for both the unpacked and packed bubble columns are presented.     

Hydrodynamics and simulation of air–water homogeneous bubble column under elevated pressure

A gas–liquid Eulerian computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model coupled with a population balance equation (PBE) was presented to investigate hydrodynamics of an air–water bubble column (1.8 m in height and 0.1 m in inner diameter) under elevated pressure in terms of pressure drop, gas holdup, mean bubble size, and bubble surface area. The CFD-PBE model was modified with three pressure correction factors to predict both the total gas holdup and the mean bubble size in the homogeneous bubbly flow regime. The three correction factors were optimized compared to experimental data. Increasing the pressure led to increasing the density, reducing the bubble size, and increasing the gas holdup. The bubble size distribution moved toward a smaller bubble size, as the pressure increased. The modified CFD-PBE model validated with experimental data and empirical models represented well hydrodynamics of the bubble column at P = 0.1, 1.5, and 3.5 MPa.     

Local hydrodynamics of gas–liquid-nanoparticles three-phase fluidization

The laser Doppler anemometer (LDA) and conductivity probes were used for measuring the local hydrodynamic performances such as gas holdup and liquid velocity in a lab-scale gas–liquid–TiO₂ nanoparticles three-phase bubble column. Effects of operating parameters on the local gas holdup and liquid velocity were investigated systematically. Experimental results showed that local averaged axial liquid velocity and local averaged gas holdup increased with increasing superficial gas velocity but decreased with increasing TiO₂ nanoparticles loading and the axial distance from the bottom of the bubble column. A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model was developed in this paper to simulate the structure of gas–liquid–TiO₂ nanoparticles three-phase flow in the bubble column. The time-averaged and time-dependent predictions were compared with experimental data for model validation. A successful prediction of instantaneous local gas holdup, gas velocity, and liquid velocity were also presented.     

湍动浆态床流体力学研究（Ⅰ）气含率及其分布规律

对高气速、高固含率、大塔径条件下的湍动浆态床平均气含率和气含率径向分布进行了实验测定,结合工业实验数据,归纳出可用于工业条件的气含率计算关联式,给出了简化的流体力学模型用于气含率分布的模拟。结果表明,浆态床气含率将随塔径增加而降低,固含率与塔径之间存在交互影响;同时,气含率的径向分布也随气速和塔径的增大而改变,存在明显的放大效应,简化模型能够较好地模拟实验结果。     

EFFECT OF OPERATING CONDITIONS ON GAS HOLDUP IN SLURRY BUBBLE COLUMNS WITH A FOAMING LIQUID

This work presents experimental data on gas holdup in slurry bubble columns with a foaming liquid. The effects of solids concentration, solid particle size, superficial phase velocities and column dimensions on the gas holdup are analyzed. At low superficial gas velocities (less than 4cm/s), for which the liquid does not foam, the presence of solids with small particle size does not affect the gas holdup whereas solids with large particle size induce foam formation and thus their presence increases the gas holdup. In the foaming regime, an increase of solids concentration decreases the gas holdup. The operating mode has a strong effect on the gas holdup: the semi-batch operating mode (stagnant liquid-solid suspension) increases the ability of the liquid to foam with respect to the continuous mode. Regarding the effect of column dimensions, the results presented show that the height of the bubble column does not affect at an appreciable extent the gas holdup in the range 6 < LID < 12. At high gas velocities (greater than 6 cm/s) the gas holdups obtained in a 30 cm-internal diameter column are the same as those measured in a 10 cm-internal diameter column.     

A Simple Approach to Measuring the Gas Phase Heat and Mass Transfer Coefficients in a Bubble Column

A simple experimental approach was developed to measure the gas phase volumetric heat and mass transfer coefficients in a bubble column and a slurry bubble column employing a single gas nozzle. The experimental technique was based on a transfer model that simulates humidification and direct contact evaporation models in the case of a gas bubble rising in a liquid of uniform temperature. The temperature and relative humidity of the inlet and outlet gas in the column are the only measurements required in this technique. Experiments were carried out in a 0.15 m inner diameter column using water as the liquid phase, air as the gas phase, and cation resins of 0.1 mm diameter and a specific gravity of 1.2, as the solid phase. The results showed that, when using solid concentrations in the range of 7–10 wt %, both the volumetric gas‐phase heat and mass transfer coefficients increased with an increase in the gas superficial velocity and were further enhanced by increasing the solid load after a certain minimum superficial velocity had been reached in the column (0.044 m/s in the system used). Increasing the solid load beyond 10 wt %, did not contribute to a further increase in these coefficients. Furthermore, the gas holdup in the column increased with the superficial gas velocity and was further enhanced when the solid‐phase load was in the range of 7–10 wt %. These observations agree well with previously reported findings by other investigators.     

Efficient dispersion in a modified two-phase non-Newtonian downflow bubble column

A comprehensive study of dispersion of gas-non-Newtonian fluid has been made in a modified downflow bubble column. Distribution of gas holdup in axial location has been anticipated from hydrostatic force balance. The experimental gas holdup data in such modified bubble column have been analyzed by slip velocity and drift-flux models. A correlation in terms of various physical, geometric and operating parameters of the present system has also been developed to analyze the gas holdup.     

三相多室气升式环流反应器中上升室气含率研究

在一个4流道的多室气升式环流反应器中,以空气-水-K树脂为体系,考察了上升室气体表观速率和固体装载量对上升室气含率的影响。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;上升室的气含率均随固体装载量增加而降低。在鼓泡流下,根据漂流通量模型,建立了上升室的气含率模型;上升室气含率的模型计算值和试验值的平均相对误差为6.429%。     

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.     

A CFD-PBM coupled model under entire turbulent spectrum for simulating a bubble column with highly viscous media

To account for the effect of liquid viscosity, the bubble breakup model considering turbulent eddy collision based on the inertial subrange turbulent spectrum was extended to the entire turbulent spectrum that included the energy-containing, inertial, and energy-dissipation subranges. The computational fluid dynamics-population balance model coupled model was modified to include this extended bubble breakup model for simulations of a bubble column. The effect of turbulent energy spectrum on the bubble breakup and hydrodynamic behaviors was studied in a bubble column under different liquid viscosities. The results showed that when the liquid viscosity was <80 mPa s, the bubble breakup and hydrodynamics were almost independent on the turbulent spectrum. At liquid viscosity >80 mPa s, the bubble breakup rate and gas holdup were significantly under-predicted when the inertial turbulent spectrum was used, and when using the entire turbulent spectrum the predictions were more consistent with experimental data.     

Time-dependent gas holdup variation in an air-water bubble column

Time-dependent gas holdup variation in a two-phase bubble column is reported with air and tap water as the working fluids. The results indicate that time-dependent gas holdup is closely related to the water, whose quality is unsteady and changes, not only during the two-phase flow, but also during idle periods. The significance and characteristics of the time-dependent gas holdup variation are influenced by the bubble column operation mode (cocurrent or semi-batch), the sparger orientation, the superficial gas velocity, and the superficial liquid velocity. It is proposed that a volatile substance (VS), which exists in the water in very small concentrations and inhibits bubble coalescence, evaporates during column operation and results in a time-dependent gas holdup. The influence of bubble column operation mode, sparger orientation, superficial gas velocity, and superficial liquid velocity on the time-dependent gas holdup variation are explained based on their effects on bubble size, bubble contacting frequency and mixing intensity. This work reveals that regular tap water may cause significant reproducibility problems in experimental studies of air-water two-phase flows.     

Gas holdup characteristics in a flotation column with different solids

This paper presents the effect of process variables on gas holdup. It was measured by volume expansion method in a continuously operating flotation column using coal and sphalerite. It was observed that addition of both solids reduced gas holdup. Increase in solid concentration and particle size reduced gas holdup. Also, increase in gas velocity and frother concentration increased the gas holdup as amount of gas increased and bubble surface property favored the formation of small bubbles. An empirical mathematical model was developed to predict gas holdup. The predicted results were in good agreement with the experimental and available published data.     

Generation of uniform small bubbles and hydrodynamic characterization of a bubble column with high pressure jet sparger

Systems generating uniform small bubbles are used in many mineral processing and chemical operations. We investigated the generation of smaller bubbles by using a two fluid jet system. Gas holdup results are reported in terms of the effect of superficial gas and liquid velocities in relation to the pressure in a bubble column with a water jet sparger. Experiments were conducted with hydrostatic head of 80 cm, 100 cm, and 120 cm in the bubble column. The gas velocity varied from 0.122 to 1.22 cm/s, and water flow rate from 33.3 to 333 cm³/s. Experiments were conducted at pressures of 2 atms., 3 atms. 4 atms. and 5 atms., and bubble sizes were measured by a digital camera (bubble compared to a reference wire inside the bubble column). Results show that the gas holdup increases with the pressure and superficial gas velocities; and at pressures of 2, 3, 4 and 5 atms., the gas holdup increases by 8.75%, 9.166%, 10% and 10%, respectively. The maximum gas holdup of 16.4% was observed at a liquid level of 80 cm and pressure of 4 atms. Optimum conditions for generating smaller bubbles with larger gas holdup are increased liquid flow rate, low liquid level, and high gas pressure. Experimental results also indicate that the column operates in both the homogeneous and heterogeneous regimes of gas-liquid flow.