THREE-PHASE FLUIDIZED BEDS WITH VISCOUS LIQUID: HYDRODYNAMICS AND MASS TRANSFER†

Hydrodynamics and gas/fiquid mass transfer in fluidized beds of glass spheres (3-8 mm diameter)were studied employing viscous aqueous solutions (16-53 mPas) Increasing liquid viscosity reduced the bubble disintegration capability of the particle beds. The most pronounced consequence was a strong decrease in the volumetric mass transfer coefficients (k_La) From a comparison of k_La in Newtonian and pseudoplastic liquids it is concluded that the effective shear rates in three-phase fluidized beds are higher than in bubble columns.     

Wall-to-bed heat transfer coefficient in gas—liquid—solid fluidized beds

Wall to bed heat transfer has been studied in three-phase fluidized beds with a cocurrent up-flow of water and air. Six sizes of glass beads, two sizes of activated carbon beads and one size of alumina beads, varying in average diameter from 0.61 to 6.9 mm and in density from 1330 to 3550 kg/m³, were fluidized in a 95.6 mm diameter brass column heated by a steam jacket. Complementary heat transfer experiments have been performed also for a gas–liquid cocurrent column and liquid–solid fluidized beds. The wall-to-bed coefficient for heat transfer in the gas–liquid–solid fluidized bed is evaluated on the basis of the axial dispersion model concept. The ratio of the wall-to-bed heat transfer coefficient in the gas–liquid–solid fluidized bed to that in the liquid–solid fluidized bed operated at the same liquid flow rate is correlated in terms of the ratio of the velocity of gas to that of liquid and the properties of solid particles. A correlation equation for estimating the wall-to-bed heat transfer coefficient in the liquid–solid fluidized bed is also developed.     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON GAS-HOLDUP AND GAS-LIQUID INTERFACIAL AREA IN TPCFBs

A new fiber optic probe system has been developed for measuring the gas-holdup ε_g and bubble size distribution P_s(d_b) in multiphase reactors. Experiments have been carried out in a gas-liquid-solid three-phase circulating fluidized bed (TPCFB) with 140mm inner diameter and 3 m height, in which air, tap water and 0.4 mm glass beads are used as the gas, liquid and solid phase, respectively. Based on the measured data, the gas-liquid interracial area a, one or the most important parameters concerning the mass transfer, has been derived. The radial profile of the gas holdup and the gas-liquid interracial area, and the influence or main operating conditions have been studied experimentally in TPCFBs.     

RADIAL DISPERSION AND BUBBLE CHARACTERISTICS IN THREE-PHASE FLUIDIZED BEDS

The effects of gas and liquid velocities, liquid viscosity and particle size on the radial dispersion coefficient of liquid phase (D_r) and the bubble properties in three-phase fluidized beds have been determined. A new flow regime map based on the drift flux theory in three-phase fluidized beds has been proposed.

In three-phase fluidized beds, D, increases with increasing gas velocity in the bubble coalescing and in the slug flow regimes, but it decreases in the bubble disintegrating regime. The coefficient exhibits a maximum value in the bed of small particles with increasing liquid velocity at lower gas velocities. However, it increases with increasing liquid velocity at higher gas velocities. In two and three-phase fluidized beds of larger particles (6,8 mm), D_r exhibits a maximum value with an increase in liquid viscosity at lower gas velocities, but it increases at higher gas velocities. The mean bubble chord length and its rising velocity increase with increasing gas velocity and liquid viscosity. However, the bubble chord length decreases with an increase in liquid velocity and it exhibits a maximum value with increasing particle size in the bed. The radial dispersion coefficients in the bubble coalescing and disintegrating regimes of three-phase fluidized beds in terms of the Peclet number in the present and previous studies have been well represented by the correlations based on the concept of isotropic turbulence theory.     

Dynamic characteristics of bed collapse in threephase fluidized beds

Transient behavior of the bed collapse after shut-off the gas supply into a three-phase fluidized bed was determined. Experiments were carried out in a 210-mm diameter half-tube acrylic column having a 1.8 m-high test section. The polymer beads (d _p =3.2 mm,ρ _s = 1,280 kg/m³) were fluidized by cocurrent flow of deionized water and air. The transient behavior of the bed collapse after cut-off the gas supply to the bed was monitored by a video camera (30 frames/s). The dense bed surface height was measured from the image of videotape. At lower liquid velocity, the dense bed surface increases with the elapsed time and then reaches a bed height, whereas at higher liquid velocity the dense bed surface increases sharply with the elapsed time, then decreases and reaches the bed height corresponding to the liquid-solid fluidized beds (water-polymer beads).     

Effect of internal on phase holdups of a three-phase fluidized bed

Individual phase holdups are important dynamic parameters in the designing of three-phase fluidized bed systems. The system chosen for the present study is nitrogen as gaseous phase, an electrolyte as liquid phase and glass balls as solid phase. The gas holdup was obtained from pressure drop measurements. The obstruction area of flow path was calculated by considering all the geometric parameters of the composite promoter for evaluating the actual velocity of the fluids through the test section. It is found that the presence of composite promoter has not shown any effect on pressure drop in three-phase fluidized beds. The bed porosity data fitted well with Richardson–Zaki equation with an exponent of 2.53. The infinite dilution velocities were increased significantly because of the presence of promoter. The data on gas holdup, liquid holdup and bed porosity were in good agreement with correlations reported earlier [S.D. Kim, C.G.J. Baker, M.A. Bergougnou, Phase holdup characteristics of three phase fluidized beds, Can. J. Chem. Eng. 53 (1975) 134–139; P. Dakshinamurthy, V. Subrahmanyam, K. Veerabhadra Rao, Indian Chem. Eng. 16 (1974) 3; W.Y. Soung, Bed expansion in three-phase fluidization, Ind. Eng. Chem. Proc. Des. Dev. 17 (1978) 33; S.R. Bloxom, J.M. Costa, J. Herranz, G.L. MacWilliam, S.R. Roth, Determination and correlation of hydrodynamic variables in three-phase fluidized bed, ORNL/MIT-219, Oak Ridge National Lab. (1975)].     

Heat transfer in three-phase (G/L/S) circulating fluidized beds with low surface tension media

Characteristics of heat transfer were investigated in a three-phase circulating fluidized bed whose diameter and height were 0.102 m (ID) and 2.5 m, respectively. Effects of gas and liquid velocities, particle size (0.5–3.0 mm), solid circulation rate (2.0–6.5 kg/m² s), and surface tension (47.53–72.75×10⁻³ N/m) of liquid phase on the heat transfer coefficient were examined. It was found that the heat transfer coefficient (h) between the immersed vertical heater and the riser proper of the three-phase circulating fluidized bed increased with increase in gas and liquid velocities, but did not change considerably with a further increase in liquid velocity, even in the higher range. The value of heat transfer coefficient increased gradually with increase in the size of fluidized solid particles without exhibiting the local minimum, which represented that there was no bed contraction in three-phase circulating fluidized beds due to the higher liquid velocity. The heat transfer system could attain a stabilized condition more easily with increase in particle size. The value of heat transfer coefficient increased with increase in solid circulation rate in all the cases studied due to the increase of solid holdup in the riser. The value of heat transfer coefficient decreased with increase in surface tension of liquid phase, due to the decrease of bubbling phenomena and bubble holdup. The decrease in liquid surface tension could lead to an increase in elapsed time from which the temperature difference between the heater surface and the riser became an almost constant value. The experimentally obtained values of heat transfer coefficient were well correlated in terms of dimensionless groups as well as operating variables.     

Prediction of Pressure Drop and Holdup for Homogeneous Ternary Mixtures of Spherical Glass Bead Particles in a Three-Phase Fluidized Bed

Hydrodynamic characteristics, viz. bed pressure drop and gas holdup, have been studied for ternary mixtures of homogeneous regular particles in a co-current three-phase fluidized bed. For this, a series of experiments have been carried out in a 5-cm diameter column with air as the gas phase, water as the liquid phase, and ternary mixtures of glass beads (1.54, 1.3, and 1.1 mm) as the solid phase. The dependence of bed pressure drop on the average particle diameter, superficial gas velocity, and initial static bed height has been discussed. Based on the dimensional and statistical analyses, correlations have been developed with the system parameters, for both bed pressure drop and gas holdup. Experimental values of bed pressure drop and gas holdup have been found to agree well with those calculated from developed correlations.     

Heat transfer in three-phase fluidized beds

Heat transfer coefficients h have been measured in two-phase (water—air, water—glass beads) and three-phase (water—air—glass beads) fluidized beds. Experiments were performed over a wide range of liquid and gas flowrates in a 0.24 m diam. column fitted with an axially mounted cylindrical heater. Four solids were employed ranging in size from 0.5 to 5 mm.Typical maximum values of h in the three-phase, liquid—gas, liquid—solid and liquid beds were approximately 4800, 4300, 3800 and 1300 W/m²K respectively. In the three-phase beds h generally increased with liquid and gas velocity and with particle size. Correlations are presented to calculate h in the different beds.     

微通道内离子液体/乙醇混合溶液吸收CO2的传质特性

采用高速摄像仪对微通道内离子液体/乙醇混合溶液吸收CO₂的传质行为进行了实验研究。考察了弹状流型下气液两相流量比和离子液体浓度对液侧体积传质系数k_La和液侧传质系数k_L的影响。当离子液体浓度不变时,k_La、k_L均随气液流量比的升高而增大并逐渐趋于恒定。当液相流量不变时,对于不同浓度的离子液体溶液,液侧体积传质系数k_La和液侧传质系数k_L随气液流量比的变化曲线出现了交叉点。在交叉点之前,k_La和k_L均随着离子液体浓度的增大而减小;在交叉点之后,k_La和k_L均随着离子液体浓度的增大而增大。提出了用于预测液侧体积传质系数k_La的新的量纲1经验关联式,预测效果良好。     

A highly elevated mass transfer rate process for three-phase,liquid-continuous fluidized beds

Average gas holdup and gas-to-liquid mass transfer in three-phase fluidized beds with non-Newtonian fluids were studied. The effects of liquid property, gas distributor type and magnetic field intensity on mass transfer coefficient and overall gas holdup were examined. The volumetric gas-to-liquid mass transfer coefficient was determined by fitting the oxygen concentration profile data across the bed to the axial dispersion model. The average gas holdup and mass transfer coefficient were all correlated with operating parameters including gas velocity and effective viscosity.Experimental results showed that a three-fold increase in mass transfer coefficient and a two-fold increase in average gas holdup were observed with properly designed liquid property and gas distributor. A modified process was developed to highly elevate the volumetric gas-to-liquid mass transfer rate. The bubble coalescing property of three-phase fluidized beds with small particles is eliminated, and its application to biotechnology and enzyme-catalyzed processes with high gas-to-liquid mass transfer rate could be achieved.     

OXYGEN TRANSFER IN THE WATER-JET VESSEL

This is an investigation of the gas holdup and the volumetric mass transfer coefficient of a plunging water jet in an air-water system. We sound k_La to be directly proportional to gas holdup in two regions. For the first time, this has been clarified in the plunging liquid jet system. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient and the gas holdup have been well correlated in terms of the Froude number, liquid jet length, nozzle diameter and vessel diameter.     

Local time-averaged gas holdup in a fluidized bed with side air injection using X-ray computed tomography

Local time-averaged gas holdup in a 10.2 cm diameter fluidized bed is determined using X-ray computed tomography (CT) over a range of superficial gas velocities (U_g), side air injection flow rates (Q_side), and fluidized bed material. Without side air injection, only small variations in the local time-averaged gas holdup are observed for beds composed of glass beads, ground walnut shell, or ground corncob. With the introduction of side air injection, which simulates the immediate volatilization of biomass in a fluidized bed gasifier, a distinctive plume is observed along the reactor wall above the side injection port. The plume gradually expands toward the center of the bed as height increases; the expansion is found to increase with increasing Q_side. As U_g increases, fluidization becomes more uniform and the effect of the side air injection on the fluidization hydrodynamics is less pronounced. Additionally, increasing U_g increases overall gas holdup and bed expansion. Of the three bed materials examined, ground corncob fluidization is the least affected by side air injection and shows the highest overall gas holdup while glass bead fluidization is much more affected by side air injection and has the lowest overall gas holdup. This study demonstrates the usefulness of X-ray CT in noninvasively visualizing detailed internal features of fluidized beds. These results will be used in future studies to validate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of fluidized beds.     

LOCAL HOLDUPS AND LIQUID INTERSTITIAL VELOCITY IN LARGE-DIAMETER THREEPHASE FLUIDIZED BED

Radial profiles of local gas and solid holdups and liquid interstitial velocity were measured in a largediameter three-phase fluidized bed, and a systematic study was carried out in comparing the present data with those obtained in small-diameter beds. Radial profiles of local gas holdup were found to be parabolic; the distribution of local solid particle holdup could be expressed by Eq. (9); liquid interstitial velocity was well described by the modified circulating flow model.     

大直径三相流化床相含率与缝隙液速的研究

本文对大直径三相流化床的局部气含率(?)固含率及液体缝隙速度进行了测定,并结合小直径床的数据作了系统的分析.结果表明,局部气含率基本符合抛物线分布;局部固含率可以由方程式(7)来表示;利用本文修正的液体循环流模型能够合理地描述液速分布.     

Liquid holdup and heat transfer coefficient between bed and wall in liquid solid and gas-liquid-solid fluidized beds

In fluidized beds of 0.052 and 0.12 m i.d. air, water and aqueous solutions of carboxymethyl cellulose (viscosity = 9.0 X 10^-4- 52 X 10^-2 Pa s), and glass beads were used as gas, liquid and solid phase, respectively. The diameters of the glass beads were 4.2 X 10^-4 6.6 X 10^-4 1.2 X l0^-3, and 2.2 X 10^-3 m.The liquid holdup in the gas-liquid-solid fluidized bed was well correlated by modifying the Garside and Al-Dibouni's equation with the gas phase Froude number.The wall heat transfer coefficient of the gas-liquid-solid fluidized beds in the range of stable fluidization state runs correlated as a function of modified Nusselt number, modified Reynolds number and gas phase Froude number.     

Contribution à l'étude du transfert de chaleur à la paroi dans les récteurs à lit fluidisé gaz-liquide-solide à faible vitesse de liquide

A study has been made of the wall to bed heat transfer in three-phase fluidized beds with cocurrent upflow of the gas and the liquid, the liquid being the continuous phase. The experiments were done using five different liquids (tetra-chloroethene, cyclohexane, kerosene, gas oil, water), three different kinds of particles (glass beads, porous alumina spheres and cylinders) at liquid velocities below 30 mm/s and gas velocities from 10 to 150 mm/s. The phenomena observed with a foaming liquid are described. Different literature correlations proved to be non-applicable at the velocities used in this work; moreover, they are not able to take into account the influence of the nature of the liquid. Therefore, a new correlation which fits well our results is proposed. The areas requiring further investigation before a safe prediction of the wall heat transfer coefficient in three phase fluidized beds can be possible are detailed.     

Gas holdup above the bed surface and grid gas jet hydrodynamics for three phase fluidized beds

A three dimensional column was used to study the hydrodynamics of a three phase system: air, water and 3 mm glass beads. Various effects of the grid jets on bed hydrodynamics were investigated for both increasing and decreasing liquid superficial velocities. Three regimes were observed: spouted bed, spouted fluidized bed and three phase fluidized bed. The hydrodynamics of the two phase region above the bed was also studied. The gas holdup increased when the gas superficial velocity was increased but decreased when the liquid superficial velocity was increased. A correlation for the estimation of the gas holdup as a function of gas and liquid superficial velocities was established.     

Bubble drift velocity from the bed collapse technique in three-phase fluidized beds

Transient behavior of a bed collapsing after cut-off of gas supply into a three-phase fluidized bed was determined in a 0.21 m-diameter half-tube acrylic column having a test section 1.8 m high. The transient behavior of the bed collapse after cut-off of the gas supply to the beds was monitored by a video camera (30 frames/s). A theory was developed to account for the dynamic behavior of the bed collapse after the gas supply shut-off to three-phase fluidized beds. The bubble drift velocity was theoretically calculated by gas and liquid phase holdups at steady state condition. At a liquid velocity of 0.103 m/s and gas velocity of 0–0.023 m/s, bubble size was uniform in the dispersed bubble flow regime. However, as the gas velocity increased above 0.023 m/s, the discrete or coalesced bubble flow regime could be observed. The agreement between the predicted and experimental values is acceptable in the dispersed bubble flow regime, but the agreement becomes poorer with increasing gas velocity.     

气-液-固三相循环流化床局部相含率分布

应用自行开发的微电导探针测试技术,以玻璃珠(d_p=0.48 mm, ρ_s=2460 kg•m^-3)和苯乙烯颗粒(d_p=1.45mm,ρ_s=1264 kg•m^-3)为固相,空气为气相,水及0.05%、0.20% (质量)SCMC(羧甲基纤维素钠)水溶液为液相,对三相循环流化床(TCFB)的各相局部含率进行了同时测定.考察了不同表观液体速度、辅助液体速度、液体黏度及颗粒密度对局部相含率轴径向分布的影响. 在不同操作条件下,获得了1286套局部相含率实验数据. 给出了局部固含率和局部气含率与操作条件、流体物性及床层轴径向位置的关联式,关联式的计算值与实验值吻合较好.