Gas holdup and pressure drop for air-water flow through plate bubble columns

Gas holdup and pressure drop measurements were made in two multistage bubble columns. Plates made from 6 mesh/in screen (α = 0.64) and those of Karr design (α = 0.53) were tested. An improved separated-flow model was developed for correlating the two-phase friction losses over the ranges: 0 ≤ V_G ≤ 8.22 cm/s and 0 ≤ V_L ≤ 6.12 cm/s. This model was also sound for the vibrating disk column introduced by Tojo et al. (1974). Empirical correlations are presented for the gas holdup and the pressure drop due to liquid circulation within these two columns.