Experimental study of a cocurrent upflow packed bed bubble column reactor: pressure drop, holdup and interfacial area

Gas–liquid interfacial areas have been determined by means of chemically enhanced absorption of CO₂ into DEA in a packed bed bubble column reactor with an inner diameter of 156 mm. The influence of the gas velocity and particle diameter on the interfacial areas, pressure drops and liquid holdups has been investigated. For both packings the limiting values of the gas velocities have been determined above which the interfacial areas and liquid holdups stabilize. In particular gas channelling has been found, which is less pronounced in the bed of larger particles.     

Experimental investigation of cocurrent two-phase flow in a vertical rectangular channel

New time averaged data of two-phase flow in bubbly and slug regimes are presented. A modified dual spherical tipped optical fiber probe is used to measure local void fractions, gas velocity and bubble sizes. Hot film anemometry was used to measure the local mean liquid velocity axially. The void fraction, gas and liquid velocities values were presented as averages over the long and short dimensions respectively. Also core values of these variables are presented along the smaller dimension of 12.7 mm, near the plane of symmetry of the longer dimension, to show the most general trend of the different bubbly and slug flow runs. Bubble sizes obtained experimentally were compared with predictive models applied to circular geometries and were found to have a reasonable agreement. It was also interesting to find that local void fractions measured using hot film anemometers were comparable to those found by optical fiber probes. Frequencies of interfacial passage of bubbles and slugs are presented which show rather flat profiles across the channel. It is hoped that these data can be further used in predictive two-phase two-fluid models in the future. Lastly of interest is the fact that slip values near the boundaries were shown to be less than 1.0 for some cases in bubbly flow similar to those observed in circular geometries.     

Flow regime identification of two-phase liquid-liquid upflow through vertical pipe

The present work has attempted to identify the flow patterns during liquid-liquid two phase flow through a vertical pipe. Dyed kerosene and water have been selected as the test fluids. The measurements have been made for phase velocities varying from 0.05 to 1.5 m/s for both the liquids. The conductivity probe technique has been adopted and three different probe designs have been used to identify the patterns under different flow conditions. A parallel wire type probe traversing the entire cross-section along a diametral plane has indicated the existence of bubbly flow at low phase flow rates and dispersed bubbly flow at high velocities of water. Apart from the visual appearance of the signals, different statistical analysis namely the probability density function and wavelet analysis have been performed for a better appraisal of the flow situation. The information in the PDFs have been quantified by means of the statistical moments. The existence of the core-annular flow at high kerosene and low water velocities has been confirmed from measurements using a different probe design. The intermediate region between the bubbly and annular flow patterns is characterized by a random distribution of the two liquids with continually changing interface between them. This has been named as the churn turbulent flow pattern. The information thus obtained has been represented in the form of a flow pattern map.     

Measurements of interfacial areas in cocurrent gas—liquid downward flow

Gas-liquid interfacial areas were measured for cocurrent downward flow of the two-phase mixtures in a 2.54 cm ID open tube. The liquid phase was a dilute solution of aqueous sodium hydroxide and the gas phase was a mixture of air and carbon dioxide. Interfacial areas were determined by sampling the liquid phase and applying the technique of absorption with fast chemical reaction. Data were obtained in the froth flow regime and in the falling bubbly film regime which does not occur in horizontal or vertical upflow. Measured interfacial areas ranged from 0.7 to 2.5 cm^?1. These values are lower than those for downflow in a 10-mm tube⁽¹⁰⁾ by a factor of about two, suggesting a dependence on the tube diameter. A correlation in terms of Jepsen's frictional energy dissipation parameter \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \left( {\frac{{\Delta P}} {{\Delta L}}} \right)(V_L ^ \circ + V_G ^ \circ ) $\end{document} is presented for the interfacial area.     

Mass transfer in cocurrent gas-liquid flow: Gas side mass transfer coefficients in upflow,interfacial areas and mass transfer coefficient in gas and liquid in downflow

A comparison of the values of interfacial area in cocurrent downward flow of gas and liquid with those obtained in upward flow revealed very little difference.Volumetric as well as true liquid side mass transfer coefficients in downflow were found to be several times lower than in upflow. Only in the smallest 10 mm tube a dependence of the mass transfer coefficient on the gas flow rate could be detected, no effect of the gas velocity was observed in the 15 and 20 mm tubes. A correlation for the liquid side mass transfer coefficient was obtained in terms of the Reynolds number of the film.The volumetric gas side mass transfer coefficient in upflow was generally independent on the liquid flow rate, except at high gas velocities in the two smaller tubes. Correlations were obtained for the volumetric mass transfer coefficient in terms of the specific rate of energy dissipation, and of the true mass transfer coefficient in terms of dimensionless groups. Much lower values were obtained for the gas side mass transfer coefficient in downflow. Only the data for the 10 mm tube could be correlated with some success by the formulas proposed for upflow.     

竖直大圆管内两相流界面分布机理

采用光纤探针测量方法对垂直上升管中空气-水两相泡状流界面分布特性进行了研究。实验选用的圆管直径为100 mm,气相、液相表观速度的范围分别为 0~0.1 m·s^-1和0~1.0 m·s^-1。获得了界面面积浓度(IAC)、截面含气率、气泡直径等分布规律。通过气泡的受力分析,发现升力和湍流扩散力的综合作用导致了气泡的径向运动,而且升力对径向IAC分布的影响占主导地位;当气泡直径超过临界尺寸(5.7 mm)后,升力系数变为负值,使得升力指向管中心,进而导致了IAC分布由壁峰型向核峰型分布的转变。     

Simplified transient model of an upflow cocurrent packed bed bioreactor

A dynamic model incorporating biomass growth and liquid hold-up evolution is developed to describe a fixed bed bioreactor operation with cocurrent upflow of water and air flows. The model permits to predict cycle time and optimal operation conditions for high substrate removal and long cycle times. Simulation results are compared with published experimental results and show good model accuracy.     

Pressure drop,holdup and interfacial area in vertical two-phase flow of multi-jet ejector induced dispersions

Measurements are reported on pressure drop, holdup and interfacial area in a vertical column where a multi-liquid jet ejector has been used for gas dispersion. Studies have been carried out in the bubble zone up to the onset of slugging. Correlations in terms of physical and dynamic variables have been developed to predict irreversible loss and holdup in such systems. Extensive statistical analysis showed that the correlations are highly significant at the 99 per cent confidence level. Measurements of interfacial area have been carried out by the chemical method. The measured values of the interfacial area were in the range of 5000 to 25000 m²/m³ in the ejector and 450 to 2650 m²/m³ in the total system. A correlation for predicting interfacial area has also been proposed as a function of the holdup in the system.     

Liquid holdup in concentric annuli during cocurrent gas‐liquid upflow

In the recent paper, an in‐depth investigation of liquid holdup during air‐water upflow through concentric annuli has been reported. The liquid holdup has been determined experimentally for the bubbly, slug and churn flow regimes. The drift flux model has been adopted for the theoretical estimation of holdup in the bubbly, dispersed bubbly and slug flow regimes. The pronounced effect of flow regime on this parameter as observed from experiments has been incorporated in the model by adopting different values of U₀, n and C₀. The asymmetry of the Taylor bubbles has been incorporated in the slug flow regime. The theoretical predictions exhibit a good agreement with the experimental data of the present work and that available in literature (Caetano et al., 1989b). The Hughmark's correlation is observed to correlate the churn flow data of the present work reasonably well.     

Residence time distribution of the liquid in gas-liquid cocurrent upflow fixed-bed reactors

The authors present an experimental investigation of the residence time distribution (RTD) of the liquid in a gas-liquid upflow fixed-bed reactor with porous and nonporous particles and air/Newtonian or non-Newtonian systems. The piston-dispersion-exchange model with Danckwerts boundary conditions was used to describe the liquid flow. In the case of porous particles, the dynamic evolution of the tracer concentration in the particles was described in terms of diffusion phenomena. An imperfect pulse method was used to estimate the model parameters directly from the experimentally nonideal input and output response.     

Investigation of interfacial area and void fraction in upward,cocurrent gas-liquid flow

Interfacial area was measured in cocurrent, gas-liquid upward flow through a vertical, 2.54 cm I.D. and 2.67 m long tube by absorption of CO₂ diluted in air into aqueous sodium hydroxide solution. Void fraction and pressure drop were also measured for superficial liquid velocities up to 1.3 m/s. Although the interfacial area exhibited a maximum and minimum with increasing superficial gas velocities at relatively high liquid flow rates as in previous experiments, several significant differences were found. Since the dissipation parameters proposed in the past to correlate interfacial area were found to be less than satisfactory, a new empirical relation is proposed, which can correlate most of the present data within ± 20%.     

Hydration of 2-methyl-2-butene in gas-liquid cocurrent upflow and downflow reactors

An olefin (2-methyl-2-butene) gas and distilled water were fed either upwardly or downwardly into a fixed-bed reactor packed with strong acidic ion-exchange resins. Global reaction rates of olefin hydration were measured by changing gas and liquid velocities. The observed rates were interpreted by using a model in which the direct mass transfer from gas to solid occurred as well as the indirect mass transfer through the liquid phase.     

A comprehensive study on co2-interphase mass transfer in vertical cocurrent and countercurrent gas-liquid flow

Cocurrent and countercurrent absorption and desorption of CO₂ in water was investigated in tall bubble columns (length 440 and 720 cm, diameter 15 and 20 cm, respectively). Operating conditions were applied which provided for high interphase mass transfer rates. Under these circumstances the relative gas holdup varies considerably with axial position whereas the mean bubble diameter measured at two points was found to be approximately constant. The measured data permit the calculation of local values of interfacial areas, superficial gas velocities, and frequency factors for bubble coalescence and break up. A dispersion model which takes into account the hydrostatic head and a variable gas velocity was applied to describe the measured concentration profiles in both phases. If increased mass transfer coefficients at the column bottom and measured local values of the hold up were used a striking agreement between experimental and predicted profiles could be obtained. The findings lead to a more sophisticated picture of the complex behaviour of gas-liquid dispersions at high interphase mass transfer rates.     

Radial liquid distribution in cocurrent two-phase downflow in packed beds

Radial liquid distribution was measured experimentally for cocurrent, two-phase downflow in packed beds. The effects of bed length, water and air flow rates, and type of packing were determined. The experimental data were obtained in the gas-continuous, transition and pulsing trickling-flow regimes. For all finite air rates, the liquid velocity profiles were approximately flat with the maximum average velocity occurring at the center of the packed column. Increasing the air rate increased the center liquid velocity. The gas rate effect was more pronounced in shorter beds. At higher gas rates the liquid rate had less effect on the radial liquid distribution than at lower gas rates. Operation at higher liquid rates resulted in a flatter radial liquid veilocity profile. It was observed that the bed of pellets operated at high liquid rate and low gas rate was unstable. Increasing the bed height increased the stability of the system and a better liquid distribution was obtained. The effects of water flow rate, bed length, and packing type on the shape of the liquid velocity profiles were minor.     

Residence time distribution and hold-up in a cocurrent upflow packed bed reactor at elevated pressure

The residence time distribution in liquid phase was measured in a cocurrent upflow packed bed reactor for the system methanol-hydrogen at low Reynolds numbers and at elevated pressure. The plug flow with axial dispersion model was used to describe mixing in the system. The imperfect pulse method was used to measure the system response to a tracer pulse input. The parameters were calculated using the weighted moments method. The influence of the weighting factor was investigated. The experimental and theoretical outputs, as calculated by convolution, agreed very well. Different types of correlations were used for the Bodenstein number and liquid hold-up. From these correlations, the optimal one was selected for each parameter. A comparison was made between the ordinary moments and the weighted moments methods which led to the conclusion that the latter method is superior with respect to the accuracy of the estimated parameters and therefore strongly recommended.     

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.     

液固及气液固三相并流系统的动力学行为和混沌产生的研究

运用时域、频域、吸引子及混沌特征参数相关维和Kolmogrov熵研究了液固并流系统动力学行为,揭示了液固并流系统是由拟周期过渡到混沌的。在拟周期行为的液固并流系统中引入气体,结果表明:低气速下,床层中只有冠状气泡,它表现为拟周期行为。随着气速的增大,床层中小气泡的出现及浆料湍动的作用使拟周期冠状气泡过渡为混沌,进而整个系统通向了混沌。     

Comparison of hydrodynamic and mass transfer performances of an emulsion loop-venturi reactor in cocurrent downflow and upflow configurations

Hydrodynamic parameters (gas-induced flow rate and gas hold-up) and mass transfer characteristics (k_La, k_L and a) have been investigated in a gas–liquid reactor denoted “Emulsair” in which the distributor is an emulsion-venturi and the gas phase is self-aspired by action of the kinetic energy of the liquid phase at the venturi throat. Two configurations, respectively cocurrent downflow and cocurrent upflow were compared. A chemical method involving the dispersion of a CO₂–air mixture in a monoethanolamine (MEA) aqueous solution was used to measure mass transfer parameters. Experimental results showed that only the homogeneous bubbling regime prevailed in the upward configuration, while an annular regime could also be observed for cocurrent downflow at low liquid flow rate. Gas-induced flow rate and gas hold-up were usually smaller for cocurrent upflow, both at constant liquid flow rate and specific power input. The same stood for mass transfer properties. Conversely, specific power requirements were lower at constant liquid flow rate and mass transfer characteristics were enhanced at constant gas-induced flow rate for cocurrent upflow. A comparison with other gas–liquid contacting devices showed that the Emulsair reactor is a versatile tool avoiding the presence of mechanically moving parts when high and quickly adaptable dissolved gas supply is required. The cocurrent upflow configuration can be preferred when high gas flow rates are desired because the evolutions of gas-induced flow rate and mass transfer characteristics exhibit a stronger dependence on specific power input in the homogeneous bubbling regime for this configuration.     

Heat transfer in co-current vertical two-phase flow

Heat transfer in co-current two-phase upflow and downflow of air–water has been investigated in a 25.8 mm electrically heated vertical pipe at 172.3 kPa for water mass velocities of 54 to 172 kg/m²s and gas flow rates of 0 to 1.322 × 10⁻² m³/s. It was found that although the injection of air in the liquid flow increased the two-phase heat transfer coefficients significantly for both systems, upflow coefficients were generally higher than those for downflow for the same liquid flow rate. This could have important implications in the design of some chemical reactors and heat engineering processes. Changes in heat transfer rates were found to occur at the flow pattern transition boundaries. Two-phase heat transfer coefficients were well correlated by an expression based on dimensional analysis for both upflow and downflow.