Experimental study on drop breakup time and breakup rate with drop swarms in a stirred tank

The direct experimental data for breakup parameters of drop breakup time, multiple breakage, and breakup rate are urgently required to understand drop breakup phenomena. In this regard, drop breakup experiments were carried out in a stirred tank using a high-speed online camera. The influences of the rotating speed, interfacial tension, and drop viscosity on the above breakup parameters were then quantitatively investigated. An mechanism correlation for the breakup time is proposed and is further verified by comparing with the results of Solsvik and Jakobsen (Chem Eng Sci, 2015;131:219-234). The percentage of multiple breakage comparing to binary breakup was statistically counted. The results indicated that the dimensionless drop diameter η = d/d_max can be adopted to characterize the proportion of binary breakup. Finally, the breakup rate was experimentally measured and the breakup probability was calculated using the inverse method.     

高炉下部气相压降特性的模拟研究

为了阐明高炉下部气相压降的特性,在填料床内模拟高炉下部流动条件进行了气液两相逆流的流体力学实验.结果表明在气相雷诺数较小时,由于停滞孔隙率的存在,实测压降值比修正厄根方程计算的值大;气相雷诺数较大时,气液界面上产生的粘性曳力较小,实测压降值比修正厄根方程计算的值小.对实验结果进行回归得到了阻力系数与气相雷诺数的关系,并提出了新的气相压降计算模型.当填料密度比液体密度小时,在液泛前填料会发生松动和膨胀,通过修正填料床的孔隙度可以计算膨胀填料床的压降.填料膨胀率的大小与液体流量、填料的流化速度及自由沉降速度有关.在实验数据范围内,模型的计算结果与实测值吻合较好.     

Single drop breakup in turbulent flow

The breakup process of a single drop in homogeneous isotropic turbulence was studied using direct numerical simulations. A diffuse interface free energy lattice Boltzmann method was applied. The detailed visualization of the breakup process confirmed breakup mechanisms previously outlined such as initial, independent, and cascade breakups. High‐resolution simulations allowed to visualize another drop breakup mechanism, burst breakup, which occurs when the mother drop has a large volume, and the flow is highly turbulent. The simulations indicate that the type of the breakup mechanism is a strong function of mother drop size and energy input. Large mother drops in highly turbulent flow fields are more likely to burst, producing a large number of drops of the size close to the Kolmogorov length scale. Small drops in moderate turbulence tend to break only once (initial breakup). The interfacial energy of a drop was tracked as a function of time during drop deformation and breakage. The maximum energy level of the deformed mother drop was compared to commonly used estimates of critical energy necessary to break a drop. Our results show that these reference levels of critical energy are usually underestimated. Moreover, in some cases even if the critical energy level was exceeded, the drop did not break because the time of the interaction between the drop and the eddies was not enough to finish the breakup. The numerical insight presented here can be used as a guideline for the selection of assumptions and simplifications behind breakup kernels.     

Influence of atomizer exit area ratio on the breakup morphology of coaxial air and round water jets

The goal of this article is to study the effect of atomizer exit area ratio on atomizer performance. The experiments are performed on the round liquid jet breakup of seven coaxial air‐blast atomizers with water–air systems. The breakup morphology of liquid jet is observed first. The membrane‐type breakup can be divided into two subregimes called bag‐type breakup and membrane‐fiber breakup, and a correlation of characteristic length on bag‐type breakup regime is obtained. Then, we analyze the influence of atomizer exit area ratio on the breakup morphology of water‐air jets. To obtain reasonable atomization morphology criterions, the atomizer exit area ratio is used to modify the Weber number and momentum flux ratio per unit volume. This method is found to be able to explain different experimental results in the literature, which is also close to the results of round liquid jet in cross air flow and secondary atomization. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 2335–2345, 2014     

The effects of surface active agents on jet breakup in liquid-liquid systems

An experimental study has been made of the effects of anionic, cationic and nonionic surface active agents on jet length, jet contraction and drop size resulting from the formation and breakup of liquid jets in another immiscible liquid, while undergoing mass transfer. Correlations previously established for uncontaminated systems with various rates of mass transfer successfully fitted the present data, when used with the diminished value of interfacial tension caused by the surfactant. Variables included nozzle size, flow rate, and type and concentration of surfactant. Data were obtained from measurements on over 3,000 drops, plus jet lengths and jet diameters from 501 photographs.     

折流式超重力旋转床液泛和气相压降的实验研究

折流式超重力旋转床是一种新型高效的气液传质设备。液泛和气相压降是超重力旋转床流体力学的重要特征。实验以空气-水为物系,对转子直径为288mm,高度为55mm的折流式旋转床进行了气相压降和液泛实验。实验表明：随着转速和液流量的增加,液泛气速减小,折流式旋转床更容易液泛。气相压降随气量、转速、液量的增加而增大,随气量和转速增大的趋势比较明显,随液量增大的趋势比较缓慢。     

Gas entrainment rate and flow pattern of vertical plunging liquid jets

For a vertical plunging liquid jet system using various liquids, the effects of the operating conditions including the nozzle length-to-diameter ratio on the gas entrainment rate Q_g were evaluated experimentally. The differences in Q_g were related to the changes in the jet shape before plunging and the velocity of the plunging liquid jet at the point where the gas sheath breaks up. Empirical relationships were also presented to predict the maximum depth Z of bubbles entrained by the diffusing jet. The changes of Z were further discussed in terms of the downward liquid velocity distribution in the submerged two-phase region, which depends mainly on the size of entrained bubbles.     

Dispersion of liquid–liquid phase by a jet-induced gas–liquid–liquid mixing column developed for separation of organic pollutants

This article presents the gas and liquid entrainment and its dispersion in a gas–liquid–liquid mixing column. The variations in phase entrainment is observed with the change in the paraffin liquid and kerosene volume fraction from 5% to 35% due to the increase in the flow resistance with increase in the effective viscosity of the liquid–liquid mixture. The degree of dispersion is enunciated based on the axial dispersion model and the flow resistance of the phases in the column. A correlation is proposed to interpret the entrainment of phase as a function of operating variables within the range of experimental conditions.     

Drop Deformation and Breakup Mechanisms in Viscoelastic Model Fluid Systems and Polymer Blends

This paper reviews the dispersion mechanisms in viscoelastic systems under relatively high shear rate conditions. In particular, two non‐Newtonian deformation and breakup mechanisms were revealed by flow visualization in a transparent Couette shearing setup. The first one is the dispersed droplet elongation perpendicular to the flow direction. This was observed only for viscoelastic drops and had been associated to normal force buildup in the droplet. The second deformation/breakup mechanism was observed in very high viscosity ratio polymer systems. It consists in erosion at the drop surface. Clouds of very small ribbons and sheets were developed around the drop then stretched and finally broken into very small droplets, rapidly distributed in the matrix.     

基于VOF-DPM的气体辅助式污泥雾化破碎的数值模拟

为实现污泥雾化破碎的数值模拟,探究污泥雾化特征和操作参数对污泥雾化效果的影响,在污泥雾化试验平台试验的基础上基于Fluent软件对污泥在气体辅助式雾化器的雾化破碎进行模拟研究,模拟结果确定了污泥的雾化特征和最优操作参数。通过耦合流体体积法(VOF)与离散相模型(DPM),对较大的液体团采用VOF方法直接求解,对小液滴采用双向耦合的离散相模型进行追踪,能最大程度地提高计算的准确性。结果表明,污泥的密度和黏度随着含水率升高逐渐降低,气体速度、气液比和雾化角度是影响污泥雾化破碎的最重要的三个操作参数。在雾化过程中,中心区域的雾滴密度大于边缘区域且有少量大颗粒的聚集。对于含水率为87%、密度为1.065×103 kg/m3的污泥,在风速为180 m/s,气液比为126.3,雾化角度为55°时雾化效果最佳,雾滴颗粒的平均粒径约为0.193 mm,试验结果与模拟结果的颗粒粒径吻合度较好,最大相对误差为5.80%。     

Gas holdup and gas entrainment of a plunging water jet with a constant entrainment guide

The gas holdup and gas entrainment of a plunging liquid jet with a gas entrainment guide in an air-water system was investigated. The measurement of the gas holdup was performed using an over-flow method. The turbulent jet velocity calculated on an inside nozzle diameter in the range from 4.4-26.5 m/s for this system has been used in our correlations. The gas holdup has been well correlated in terms of 1/H(v₀² + 2gH₁), H₁ d₀ and the gas entrainment in terms of 1/H_w(v₀² + 2gH₁), H₁, d₀. The jet power requirement was also obtained from experimental data.     

新型导向桥阀塔板的雾沫夹带和塔板压降

在φ1000mm的圆塔内,采用空气–水系统对新型导向桥阀塔板的流体力学性能进行了测试,考察了液流强度、出口堰高等因素对雾沫夹带和塔板压降的影响,并且与标准的F1型浮阀进行了对比实验。结果表明:新型导向桥阀塔板上气体分散均匀,泡沫层高度稳定,气液接触充分,在相同条件下压降比F1浮阀低10%～30%。具有较好的流体力学性能。     

Drop Breakup in an SMX Static Mixer in Laminar Flow

The mechanism of drop breakup inside SMX static mixers in the laminar flow regime was studied using experimental observations and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The deformation and breakup of a single drop was simulated using the volume of fluid (VOF) model. It was observed that drops break up after collision with the leading edges and cross‐points of the bars in the SMX static mixer. It was found that drop collision with the bar cross‐points of the SMX static mixer elements is most effective for drop breakup. Elongation and folding result in drop breakup at the cross‐points.     

环状流液滴夹带率测量方法及分析

针对气液两相环状流液膜参数溯源问题,设计了一种液膜在线提取装置和基于液膜质量流量测量的夹带率测量方法。该装置利用超声波测距传感器对储液箱液位进行实时监测并反馈至控制系统,利用单片机控制抽气泵开关实现对环状流多孔渗水介质管段内外差压调节控制液膜析出速率,使用换向器实现计量和废液管路切换并记录两次切换之间的时间间隔。利用精密电子天平对取出液膜进行称重测量,结合记录时间和液相质量流量计测量结果实现液膜质量流量和液滴夹带率等参数的测量。在小口径高精度气液两相流模拟装置进行了75组实流验证实验,并结合两种典型夹带率模型预测结果对测量系统进行了科学评价。研究结果表明,液膜质量流量和液滴夹带率测量结果可溯源,测量准确度高,为研究气液两相环状流液膜流动特性提供了一种可靠的实验测试方法。     

In situ visualization of drop deformation,erosion, and breakup in high viscosity ratio polymeric systems under high shearing stress conditions

In this paper, deformation and breakup under simple shear of single molten polymer drops in a polymer matrix were investigated. Flow visualization was carried out in a Couette‐Flow apparatus under relatively high shear rates and temperatures up to 230°C. Drop/Matrix combinations were composed of polystyrene drops of 0.5–0.6 mm in diameter in polyethylene matrix, and ethylene–propylene copolymer drops of approximately the same size in polypropylene matrix. The deformation and breakup processes were studied under steady state and time‐dependent shearing conditions. Either for steady state or time‐dependant shearing conditions, drop elasticity generated at relatively high shear rates helped the drops to align perpendicular to the flow direction, i.e., parallel to vorticity axis. Also, the most striking non‐Newtonian effects for the high viscosity ratio systems were the surface erosion and the drop splitting mechanisms. The particles eroded off the main droplet surface were very fine, in the range of 10–50 μm, and led to a significant reduction in main drop size before its final breakup. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 2582–2591, 2006     

Deformation and breakup of water droplets containing polymer under a DC electric field

The deformation and breakup behaviors of droplets containing polymer are investigated by high-speed photography to reveal the mechanism of electric field collapse when treating the emulsion containing polymer. The results show the electric field collapse process caused by droplet breakup consists of three steps. First, the droplet containing polymer ejects liquid filament under strong electric field. Second, the liquid filament is continuously stretched until it touches positive and negative electrodes. Finally, the severe Joule heating effect appears because the strong electric current flows through the liquid filament. The release of a large amount of heat causes the formation, expansion, and collapse of bubble, resulting in the fracture of liquid filament and the collapse of electric field. The increase of polymer concentration strengthens the Joule heating effect and enlarges the influence scope of bubble expansion and collapse. These findings provide significant guidance for the stable operation of electric dehydrator.     

Computational modeling of microbubble coalescence and breakup using large eddy simulation and Lagrangian tracking

The flow of dispersed microbubbles was studied with an Eulerian–Lagrangian technique using large eddy simulation to predict the continuous liquid flow and Lagrangian tracking to compute bubble trajectories. The model fully accounts for bubble coalescence and breakup and was applied to horizontal and vertical channel flows. With low levels of turbulence, gravity in horizontal, and lift in vertical, channel flows govern the bubble spatial and collision distribution. When turbulence is sufficiently high to, at least partially, oppose bubble preferential concentration, more uniform collision and coalescence distributions are found, although these remain peaked near the wall in both configurations. Almost 100% coalescence efficiency was always found, due to bubbles colliding along similar trajectories, with breakup only recorded in a flow of low surface tension refrigerant R134a. Models like this can provide the required quantitative understanding of the microbubbles complex behavior, as well as supporting the development of more macroscopic modeling closures.     

Measurement of Consumed Energy Due to the Two-Phase Pressure Drop in a Pulsed Semi-Industrial Column: Effect of Geometry

This article deals with the evaluation of pressure drop and consumption of energy for a steady-state solvent extraction in a horizontal pulsed sieve-plate column, which are important for the design and optimization of the periodic-flow processes for industrial applications. In this study, the pressure drop and the position of loading points are investigated. Moreover, a mathematical evaluation on the energy consumption in the case of a pulsed flow is conducted, and besides the influence of pulsation intensity, the effect of geometrical parameters including the plate spacing and plate-free area is investigated as well. The results of this study are helpful for optimization of column geometry targeted to higher performance and lower energy consumption.     

非对称Y型分岔微通道内气泡破裂与分配规律

利用高速摄像仪对气泡在非对称Y型微通道分岔口的破裂行为和分配规律进行了实验研究。采用氮气（N₂）作为分散相,含0.3%表面活性剂十二烷基硫酸钠（SDS）的蒸馏水-甘油（质量分数分别为20%、40%、50%）溶液为连续相。在分岔口处观察到了3种不同的气泡行为：无间隙的不对称破裂、有间隙的不对称破裂以及不破裂。考察了气泡破裂和不破裂行为之间的转变,并与文献进行了比较。考察了两相流率及物性对破裂气泡分配规律的影响。结果表明：破裂后两个子气泡的长度均随气相流量与气泡长度的增大而增大,随液相流量和黏度的增大而减小。随液相速度和黏度的增大,气泡破裂的不对称程度减弱。     

磁性液滴在液体中的运动及接触传热

对磁性液滴在不互溶液体中的运动和接触传热特性进行了实验研究和理论分析，建立了磁性液滴在不互溶液体中运动的数学模型和传热关联式。实验结果表明，外加磁场对磁性液滴的流动和传热具有显著的强化作用。