POWER CONSUMPTION AND GAS HOLDUP IN A GAS-LIQUID RECIPROCATING PLATE COLUMN

The pressure fluctuation at the column base is confirmed to be proportional to the vibration intensity on a power of 2 in non-gassed conditions and up to a critical vibration intensity, corresponding to the dispersion resonance frequency, in gassed conditions. The power consumption is successfully correlated with the vibration intensity and the liquid holdup. The gas holdup in both mixer-settter and emulsion regime is well correlated with the power consumption and the superficial gas velocity. The effect of the superficial gas velocity is more important than that of the power consumption. The effects of the liquid phase properties, the wetting tendency of the plate material and the fraction free area above 41% were not observed     

鼓泡床内气体分布器设计及其对水力学的影响

本文比较了目前常用的几种分布器，通过照像法观察了三种分布器（单孔板、多孔板和烧结金属板）上的气泡形成过程，然后测定了这三种分布器的于板压降和湿板压降，并就它们对水力学条件的影响进行了考察。其结果对鼓泡床内分布器的设计具有一定的参考价值。     

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.     

Hydrodynamic investigations of gas–liquid contacting in a reciprocating plate column

The maximum pressure variation at the bottom of a reciprocating plate column of the Karr type was investigated in single phase liquid and two phase gas–liquid systems. In the gas–liquid system the gas hold-up was also measured. The power consumption was calculated on the basis of the pressure variation at the bottom of the column. It was shown that the power consumption depends on the vibration intensity, liquid density and geometrical characteristics of the column in a non-gassed single phase liquid system and on the same factors, as well as gas hold-up, in gas–liquid systems. Semiempirical correlations were derived for the purpose of predicting power consumption in both single and two phase systems in a reciprocating plate column.     

Gas holdup in a gassed reciprocating plate column with rashig rings placed in interplate spaces

The gas holdup is studies in a gassed reciprocating plate column with the addition of the Rashig rings placed in each interplate space. The gas holdup generally increases with increasing the vibration speed, the superficial gas velocity, and the solids concentration in the range of operating conditions applied. Independently of the solids concentration, the gas holdup is correlated with the power consumption and the superficial gas velocity. The Rashig rings are shown to have more effective dispersion action than the polypropylene spheres under the same other operating conditions.     

加压大型气液鼓泡床中气含率的实验和关联

对内径0.3 m、高6.6 m的加压鼓泡床中的气含率进行了系统研究，得出了表面张力、粘度、压力等对气含率的影响规律；结果表明，在实验范围内，鼓泡床中的气含率随表面张力和粘度的升高而降低，随压力的升高而升高；并用气泡聚并的能量理论作了定性的解释. 根据542组实验数据得出了气含率的关联式.     

Gas-holdup distribution and energy dissipation in an ejector-induced downflow bubble column: the case of non-Newtonian liquid

A precise knowledge of gas-holdup distribution and energy dissipation is essential for designing gas-liquid contactors. A semi-theoretical approach has been presented to obtain the axial distribution of gas holdup through the column for gas-non-Newtonian liquid two-phase flow system. The whole column is distinguished to have three zones based on gas holdup, viz. top, middle and bottom. The middle section where significant accumulation of bubbles takes place, contributes higher gas holdup towards the total compared to the other two sections. Energy dissipation in the column have been calculated from two-phase gas-liquid frictional losses. A comparative study shows that substantial gas holdup are observed in the present system with considerably lower energy losses. The experimental data of gas holdup have been correlated in terms of pressure drop by the modified Lockhart-Martinelli equation.     

Effect of Plate Wettability on Dispersed-Phase Holdup in a Pulsed Disc-and-Doughnut Solvent Extraction Column

The effect of plate wettability on the dispersed-phase holdup in a pulsed disc-and-doughnut solvent extraction column is presented. Teflon, nylon, and stainless steel plates have been used to simulate a change in the wetting characteristics of the plate material that can occur in an operating column due to ageing or deposits accumulating on the plate. Experimental holdup data have been measured over a range of operating conditions using a 1.0 m long glass column with an internal diameter of 72.5 mm containing alternating discs and doughnuts. The liquid-liquid system studied was tri-n-octylamine (TOA)-kerosene-water with sulphuric acid as the solute. Results show that there are noticeable changes in the characteristic velocity (determined from measured holdup) and operational regimes for the different plate materials, particularly at low pulsation intensities, when operating under dispersed aqueous conditions. Experimental holdup data from this study have also been compared to correlations from literature for predicting holdup. As none of these correlations for holdup incorporate plate wettability, a new correlation for predicting holdup has been proposed that incorporates the contact angle of the plate material to allow for changes in the wettability of the plate surface. This correlation is able to predict the holdup data from this study to within 10.5% for aqueous dispersed conditions.     

用于微生物石油脱蜡的新型气升环流反应器

本文报导了一种新型气升环流反应器,对反应器中液相流型、气含率与操作条件之间的关系进行了实验考察。利用气升环流反应器强化传质和混合的原理,将一个100m^3鼓泡塔反应器改造成三管循环的气升环流反应器,发酵试验结果表明气升环流反应器微生物脱蜡周期比原鼓泡反应器缩短4倍,气升环流反应器能耗比鼓泡反应器降低约30％。     

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.     

Power consumption and mass transfer in agitated gas-liquid columns: A comparative study

Power consumption, gas holdup and oxygen mass transfer in agitated gas-liquid columns have been studied for an air-water system. Measurements have been carried out in a reciprocating plate reactor using five different types of perforated plates and in a stirred tank reactor with one, two and three Rushton turbines, a helical ribbon impeller with and without surface baffles. Each mixing vessel had an identical geometry with a working volume of 17 L. For reciprocating plate stacks, the gas holdup is a complex function of the perforation diameter, the frequency of agitation and the gas superficial velocity. For radial-type mixing devices, the gas holdup increases more rapidly with the speed of rotation for the helical ribbon. The power imparted to the fluid by the mixing device is independent of the gas superficial velocity for the plate stacks and the helical ribbon impeller for a given frequency or speed of agitation whereas it decreases for Rushton turbines. The correlation of the power consumption obtained for all mixing devices plotted against the reciprocating frequency or speed of rotation to the third power shows a linear fit. K_La values were correlated very well with the power input per unit volume and superficial gas velocity for all mixing devices. At lower power input per unit volume, K_La is a function of only the gas superficial velocity. At higher input power per unit volume, K_La increases rapidly with an increase in the intensity of agitation. Reciprocating plates with larger diameter perforations led to higher K_La values whereas the lowest K_La were obtained with the helical ribbon impeller. Correlations for one and three Rushton impeller assemblies were almost identical whereas measured K_La were much higher for the two-impeller assembly due to the presence of a highly mixed zone in the vicinity of the dissolved oxygen probe.     

Improved gas holdup in novel bubble column

This investigation reports the experimental and theoretical results carried out to evaluate the gas holdup for air–water system in a novel hybrid rotating and reciprocating perforated plate bubble column under countercurrent condition. The response of this hybrid column is found to be similar to that of reciprocating plate column (RPC) showing mixer‐settler, transition, and emulsion regions. The effect of agitation level, superficial gas velocity, superficial liquid velocity, perforation diameter, and plate spacing on gas holdup is studied and found to be significant. The gas holdup is found to be least in the range of agitation level of 1.3–1.5 cm/s. For all the superficial gas and liquid velocities considered in this present investigation, the critical agitation level at minimum gas holdup remains nearly same. The gas holdup in this hybrid column is 1.2–1.7 times higher in mixer‐settler region and 2.1–2.7 times higher in emulsion region than that of RPC. Correlations have been developed and found to concur with the experimental values. It can be used with 95% accuracy. © 2011 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering     

锥形鼓泡床内气含率特性的研究

本文分析了锥形鼓泡床内流型过渡、平均气含率及气含率轴向分布特性，考察了入口气体速度、静止液体（或淤浆）高度及淤浆浓度的影响，比较了与圆柱床的差异，结果表明对于鼓泡床内气体体积收缩的反应，用锥形床的冷态试验可以较精确地模拟其实际结果。     

Liquid-liquid extraction in a reciprocating screen plate column

A novel reciprocating-plate liquid-liquid extraction column is proposed. It features a simple design that utilizes as the plates mesh screens with a fractional free area larger than 64%. A hydrodynamic and mass transfer study of the column was carried out in which the existence of a uniform liquid-liquid dispersion throughout the column at relatively low speeds of plate reciprocation was confirmed. Experimental results show that in comparison with other reciprocating columns, the present column has these desirable qualities: (1) large dispersed phase holdup and overall mass transfer coefficient, (2) low power requirements, (3) high flow capacity. A correlation of the dispersed phase holdup data based on slip and drop characteristic velocities is presented. The drop characteristic velocity for the screen plate column is empirically related to the power dissipation rate and system properties. On propose une nouvelle colonne d'extraction liquide-liquide munie de plateaux réciproques. Il s'agit d'une conception simple qui utilise comme plateaux des tamis à mailles avec une zone libre fractionnelle supérieure à 64%.     

Interfacial area and mass transfer in gas-liquid cocurrent upflow and countercurrent flow in reciprocating plate column

The volumetric mass transfer coefficient and the interfacial area were measured for carbon dioxide absorption into water using a reciprocating plate column of plate geometry different from a Karr column. The specific interfacial area was governed by a change in bubble size at low agitation rates and by a variation in gas holdup at high agitation rates. The liquid phase mass transfer coefficient was strongly influenced by the agitation rate, the phase velocities and the plate geometry.     

采用间接膨胀法研究鼓泡床内气含率特性

引言 鼓泡床反应器凭借其相际接触面大、传递效率高、结构简单和操作稳定等优势而成为气液两相进行质量、动量和能量传递及化学反应的重要设备,在化工及相关领域应用广泛[1-2].尽管前人采用不同测量方法对鼓泡床内气含率特性进行了大量的实验研究,并推导出了相应的经验关联式[3-5],但这些实验大多是针对室温和常压的透明鼓泡床,难以直接应用于非透明的高温或高压实际工业过程中.     

Gas Holdup from the Free Surface of Liquids Subjected to a Vertically Vibrating Plate

Gas holdup is an important factor in the various technological processes involving the interaction between liquid and gaseous systems. The goal of the present research is to study the effect of vibration parameters and plate design on the gas holdup efficiency in a vibrating plate column. The gas bubbles were generated by the vibrating plate, which was sufficiently close to the liquid surface. An analytical model for the calculation of the gas holdup was developed. A device for the introduction of the gas and the vertical vibration of the liquid was designed and used in this research. The experimental data obtained are in good agreement with the theoretical calculations. The results show the possibility of enhancing the gas holdup by changing the vibration parameters and optimizing the vibrating plate unit design parameters.     

Experimental analysis and development of correlations for gas holdup in high pressure slurry co-current bubble columns

The effect of liquid and gas velocities, solid concentrations, and operating pressure has been studied experimentally in a 15 cm diameter air-water-glass beads bubble column. The superficial gas and liquid velocities varied from 1.0 to 40.00 cm/s and 0 to 16.04 cm/s, respectively, while the solid loading varied from 1 to 9%. The gas holdup in the column was reduced sharply as we switched from batch to co-current mode of operation. At low gas velocity, the effect of liquid velocity was insignificant; while at high gas velocity, increasing liquid velocity decreased the gas holdup. Drift flux approach was applied to quantify the combined effect of liquid and gas velocities over gas holdup. For co-current three phase flows, the gas holdup decreased with increase in solid loading for all pressures. But for batch operations, when solid loading was 5% or more, settling started leading to higher gas holdup. Increasing pressure from atmospheric conditions increased the gas holdup significantly, flattening asymptotically.     

Probe for measuring local gas holdups in saline potash pulps

A conductivity probe has been designed and used to measure the gas holdup at a point in both two and three phase flows of saline solutions. The probe uses a direct current voltage and acts as a simple on-off switch. The probe is a single unit with one electrode being the probe body and the other electrode simulating a massless point. It was found that the probe gave similar gas holdup trends to the pressure drop method of measuring overall gas holdup. When used in a bubble column the probe could be used to indicate bubble sizes and corresponding rise velocities. Equations are presented which were used to convert the electric output of the probe to these physical parameters.     

MIXING CHARACTERISTICS IN SLURRY STIRRED TANK REACTORS WITH MULTIPLE IMPELLERS

Hydrodynamic parameters such as power consumption, gas holdup, critical impeller speed for solid suspension and mixing time were measured in slurry stirred tank reactors with multiple impellers. The experiments were mainly conducted in a stirred tank of 0.2mi.d. with baffles. It contained two four-pitched blade downflow turbines for gas dispersion and one Pfaudler type impeller for solid suspension. As a part of scaling studies, additional experiments were also carried out in a larger stirred tank reactor (0,8m i.d.) geometrically similar to the smaller one. Glass beads and polymeric particles were used as a solid phase. Solid concentration was in the range of 0-20% (K/K). Tap water and methanol were used as a liquid phase

The power consumption decreased due to an introduction of gas and the presence of solids caused a decrease in the extent of reduction in power consumption. A correlation for power consumption in aerated slurry systems was proposed, It was found that the presence of solids is responsible for a decrease in gas holdup. A new correlation for gas holdup in gas-liquid-solid three-phase stirred tank reactors was developed. It fit the present experimental data reasonably. The critical impeller speed for solid suspensions increased with increasing gas flow rate. However, its increase was rather smaller as compared with the predictions of the correlations available in the literature. We proposed a correlation of the critical impeller speed for solid suspension in the presence of gas. The mixing time complicatedly increased or decreased depending on gas flow rate, impeller speed, solids type and concentration.