CFD analysis of two‐phase turbulent flow in internal airlift reactors

The hydrodynamic performance of three internal airlift reactor configurations was studied by the Eulerian–Eulerian k–ε model for a two‐phase turbulent flow. Comparative evaluation of different drag and lift force coefficient models in terms of liquid velocity in the riser and downcomer and gas holdup in the riser was highlighted. Drag correlations as a function of Eötvös number performed better results in comparison to the drag expressions related to Reynolds number. However, the drag correlation as a function of both Reynolds and Eötvös numbers fitted well with experimental results for the riser gas holdup and downcomer liquid velocity in configurations I and II. Positive lift coefficients increase the liquid velocity and decrease the riser gas holdup, while opposite results were obtained for negative values. By studying the effects of bubble size and their shape, the smaller bubbles provide a lower liquid velocity and a gas holdup. The effects of bubble‐induced turbulence and other non‐drag closure models such as turbulent dispersion and added mass forces were analysed. The gas velocity and gas holdup distributions, liquid velocity in the riser and downcomer, vectors of velocity magnitude and streamlines for liquid phase, the dynamics of gas holdup distribution and turbulent viscosity at different superficial gas velocities for different reactor configurations were computed. The effects of various geometrical parameters such as the draft tube clearance and the ratio of the riser to the downcomer cross‐sectional area on liquid velocities in the riser and the downcomer, the gas velocity and the gas holdup were explored. © 2011 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering     

Effect of a gas–liquid separator on the hydrodynamics and circulation flow regimes in internal‐loop airlift reactors

The role of the gas–liquid separator on hydrodynamic characteristics in an internal‐loop airlift reactor (ALR) was investigated. Both gas holdup and liquid velocity were measured in a 30 dm³ airlift reactor with two different head configurations: with and without an enlarged separator. A magnetic tracer method using a neutrally buoyant magnetic particle as flowfollower was used to measure the liquid velocity in all sections of the internal‐loop airlift reactor. Average liquid circulation velocities in the main parts of the ALR were compared for both reactor configurations. At low air flow rates the separator had no influence on gas holdup, circulation velocity and intensity of turbulence in the downcomer and separator. At higher superficial air velocities, however, the separator design had a decisive effect on the hydrodynamic parameters in the downcomer and the separator. On the other hand, the gas holdup in the riser was only slightly influenced by the separator configuration in the whole range of air flow. Circulation flow regimes, characterising the behaviour of bubbles in the downcomer, were identified and the effect of the separator on these regimes was assessed. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

SEBS高黏度溶液气液鼓泡塔的流体力学研究

针对SBS加氢反应器开发与设计，以SEBS-1650己烷溶液为液相，采用差压法和床层塌落法研究了气液鼓泡塔中高黏度溶液的流体力学行为，考察了黏度对低表面张力溶液的气含率、大小气泡气含率、大小气泡上升速度和比表面积等因素的影响。结果表明，随黏度增加，大气泡增多，气含率明显降低，塔内流型处于湍流区；由床层塌落曲线确定鼓泡塔内存在三种类型的气泡：大气泡、小气泡及细小气泡，随黏度增加，小气泡与细小气泡逐渐减少；黏度对大小气泡的上升速度略有影响，比表面积随黏度增加而明显降低。根据实验结果给出了大小气泡气含率与平均气含率的计算公式。     

Local hydrodynamic parameters of bubble column reactors operating with non‐Newtonian liquids: Experiments and models development

The effects of liquid phase rheology on the local hydrodynamics of bubble column reactors operating with non‐Newtonian liquids are investigated. Local bubble properties, including bubble frequency, bubble chord length, and bubble rise velocity, are measured by placing two in‐house made optical fiber probes at various locations within a bubble column reactor operating with different non‐Newtonian liquids. It was found that the presence of elasticity can noticeably increase the bubble frequency but decreases the bubble chord length and its rise velocity. The radial profiles of bubble frequency, bubble chord length, and bubble rise velocity are shown to be relatively flat at low superficial gas velocity while they become parabolic at high superficial gas velocity. Moreover, the bubble size and gas holdup are correlated with respect to dimensionless groups by considering the ratio between dynamic moduli of viscoelastic liquids. The novel proposed correlations are capable of predicting the experimental data of bubble size and gas holdup within a mean absolute percentage error of 9.3% and 10%, respectively. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 1382–1396, 2016     

三相多室气升式环流反应器气含率的研究

在1个4流道的三相多室气升式环流反应器中,以空气-水-K树脂为体系,采用压差法测量气含率,考察了上升室气体表观速率、固体装载量对上升室与下降室气含率的影响.结果表明:上升室的气含率随着该室气体表观速率增加而增加,而随着另一上升室气体表观速率增加而略有降低;下降室的气含率随着该室气体表观速率增加呈现3种变化趋势,而随着另...     

Behavior of gas bubbles in a concentric cylindrical airlift column

Using a light transmission optical probe, the effect of superficial gas velocity on bubble properties(bubble size, bubble rising velocity, bubble frequency and local gas holdup) at axial and radial positions was determined in the riser and the downcomer of a concentric cylindrical airlift reactor. The vertical bubble length, the bubble rising velocity and the bubble frequency at axis in the riser increased with increasing superficial gas velocity and the bed height. The radial distribution of the local gas holdup, vertical bubble length and bubble frequency in the riser and the downcomer were found to be non-uniform. The profiles of the local gas holdup, vertical bubble length and bubble rising velocity in the riser were shown as parabolic shapes. The local gas holdup, the vertical bubble length and the bubble frequency in the downcomer changed with superficial gas velocity and the distance from the top of the draft tube.     

Effect of particles on hydrodynamics and mass transfer in a slurry bubble column: Correlation of experimental data

The effects of particle concentration and size on hydrodynamics and mass transport in an air–water slurry bubble column were experimentally studied. When the particle concentration α_s increased from 0% to 20%, the averaged gas holdup decreased by ~30%, gas holdup of small bubbles and gas–liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient decreased by up to 50%, while the gas holdup of large bubbles increased slightly. The overall effect of particle size was insignificant. A liquid turbulence attenuation model which could quantitatively describe the effects of particle concentration and size was first proposed. Semi-empirical correlations were obtained based on extensive experimental data in a wide range of operating conditions and corrected liquid properties. The gas holdup and mass transfer coefficient calculated by the correlations agreed with the experimental data from both two-phase and three-phase bubble columns, with a maximum error <25%.     

SPLIT-CHANNEL RECTANGULAR AIRLIFT REACTORS:ENHANCEMENT OF PERFORMANCE BY GEOMETRIC MODIFICATIONS

Two geometric configurations of gas-liquid separators were used in split-channel airlift reactors (0.1 m3 liquid volume; riser-to-downcomer cross-sectional area = 1.45; aspect ratio = 3.6) to test the effect of geometry on hydrodynamic performance and oxygen transfer behaviour. One of the configurations consisted of the basic internal-loop airlift head region without added features; the other had a 45° -inclined prism attached to the upper edge of the splitting baffle. For otherwise fixed conditions, the design of gas-liquid separators affected the induced liquid circulation velocity, the depth of penetration of the bubbles in the downcomer, the gas holdup in the downcomer and the mixing time. The overall volumetric gas-liquid oxygen transfer coefficient was not affected. The gas holdup in the riser was only marginally affected by the design of the separator; however, the relationship between the riser and the downcomer holdups was sensitive to separator configuration. Incorporation of the prism in the basic airlift configuration enhanced gas-liquid separation so much so that up to 30% reduction in the downcomer gas holdup could be obtained relative to the unmodified geometry. The impact of the separator designs on hydrodynamic behaviour could be explained as emanating from a combination of the gas-liquid separating ability of the design and its hydraulic resistance.     

LOCAL HYDRODYNAMICS IN AN EXTERNAL LOOP AIRLIFT SLURRY REACTOR WITH AND WITHOUT A RESISTANCE-REGULATING ELEMENT

The hydrodynamic behavior of an external loop airlift slurry reactor (ALSR) with and without a resistance-regulating element was studied with a fiber optic probe and ultrasound Doppler velocimetry. The influences of the superficial gas velocity and solid holdup on the global gas holdup and radial profiles of the suspension circulation velocity in the downer and of gas holdup, bubble size, and bubble rise velocity in the riser were studied. Local measurements allow a better understanding of the flow behavior in the reactor and can be used for CFD modeling and validation. Experimental results show that the resistance-regulating element increases the gas holdup and decreases the suspension circulation velocity, indicating that an optimum design of the flow resistance is needed to obtain the maximum gas-liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient for a specific superficial gas velocity. A high superficial gas velocity and low solid holdup are favorable for increased uniformity of the radial profile of the gas holdup and bubble rise velocity. Hydrodynamic models that predict the gas holdup and suspension circulation velocity were developed for an ALSR with and without a resistance-regulating element. Good agreement was obtained between measured and predicted values.     

Experimental investigation on multiscale hydrodynamics in a novel gas–Liquid–Solid three phase jet-Loop reactor

Multiphase flow hydrodynamics in a novel gas–liquid–solid jet-loop reactor (JLR) were experimentally investigated at the macroscales and mesoscales. The chord length distribution was measured by an optical fiber probe and transformed for bubble size distribution through the maximum entropy method. The impacts of key operating conditions (superficial gas and liquid velocity, solid loading) on hydrodynamics at different axial and radial locations were comprehensively investigated. JLR was found to have good solid suspension ability owing to the internal circulation of bubbles and liquid flow. The gas holdup, axial liquid velocity, and bubble velocity increase with gas velocity, while liquid velocity has little influence on them. Compared with the gas–liquid JLRs, solids decrease the gas holdup and liquid circulation, reduces the bubble velocity and delays the flow development due to the enhanced interaction between bubbles and particles (Stokes number >1). This work also provides a benchmark data for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model validation. © 2019 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 65: e16537, 2019     

LOCAL HYDRODYNAMICS IN AN EXTERNAL LOOP AIRLIFT SLURRY REACTOR WITH AND WITHOUT A RESISTANCE-REGULATING ELEMENT

The hydrodynamic behavior of an external loop airlift slurry reactor (ALSR) with and without a resistance-regulating element was studied with a fiber optic probe and ultrasound Doppler velocimetry. The influences of the superficial gas velocity and solid holdup on the global gas holdup and radial profiles of the suspension circulation velocity in the downer and of gas holdup, bubble size, and bubble rise velocity in the riser were studied. Local measurements allow a better understanding of the flow behavior in the reactor and can be used for CFD modeling and validation. Experimental results show that the resistance-regulating element increases the gas holdup and decreases the suspension circulation velocity, indicating that an optimum design of the flow resistance is needed to obtain the maximum gas-liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient for a specific superficial gas velocity. A high superficial gas velocity and low solid holdup are favorable for increased uniformity of the radial profile of the gas holdup and bubble rise velocity. Hydrodynamic models that predict the gas holdup and suspension circulation velocity were developed for an ALSR with and without a resistance-regulating element. Good agreement was obtained between measured and predicted values.     

高长径比三相内环流反应器中细颗粒相含率和循环液速的分布研究

在高径比为22的三相内环流反应器中,在常温常压下以空气-水-石英砂为物系,研究了在不同粒径下上升区固含率、下降区固含率和上升区循环液速随表观气速的变化规律和不同粒径下轴向固含率的分布情况,以及在固体体积分数不同的条件下,平均气含率和上升区气含率随表观气速的变化情况。结果表明:当粒径(ds)≤0.3 mm时,上升区固含率随表观气速的增加呈平缓变化趋势,下降区固含率随表观气速的增加而增加;当0.3 mm相似文献   

Local hydrodynamics of gas–liquid-nanoparticles three-phase fluidization

The laser Doppler anemometer (LDA) and conductivity probes were used for measuring the local hydrodynamic performances such as gas holdup and liquid velocity in a lab-scale gas–liquid–TiO₂ nanoparticles three-phase bubble column. Effects of operating parameters on the local gas holdup and liquid velocity were investigated systematically. Experimental results showed that local averaged axial liquid velocity and local averaged gas holdup increased with increasing superficial gas velocity but decreased with increasing TiO₂ nanoparticles loading and the axial distance from the bottom of the bubble column. A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model was developed in this paper to simulate the structure of gas–liquid–TiO₂ nanoparticles three-phase flow in the bubble column. The time-averaged and time-dependent predictions were compared with experimental data for model validation. A successful prediction of instantaneous local gas holdup, gas velocity, and liquid velocity were also presented.     

CFD simulation and experimental measurement of gas holdup and liquid interstitial velocity in internal loop airlift reactor

This paper documents experiments and CFD simulations of the hydrodynamics of our two-phase (water, air) laboratory internal loop airlift reactor (40 l). The experiments and simulations were aimed at obtaining global flow characteristics (gas holdup and liquid interstitial velocity in the riser and in the downcomer) in our particular airlift configurations. The experiments and simulations were done for three different riser tubes with variable length and diameter. Gas (air) superficial velocities in riser were in range from 1 to 7.5 cm/s. Up to three circulation regimes were experimentally observed (no bubbles in downcomer, bubbles in downcomer but not circulating, and finally the circulating regime). The primary goal was to test our CFD simulation setup using only standard closures for interphase forces and turbulence, and assuming constant bubble size is able to capture global characteristics of the flow for our experimental airlift configurations for the three circulation regimes, and if the simulation setup could be later used for obtaining the global characteristic for modified geometries of our original airlift design or for different fluids. The CFD simulations were done in commercial code Fluent 6.3 using algebraic slip mixture multiphase model. The secondary goal was to test the sensitivity of the simulation results to different closures for the drag coefficient and the resulting bubble slip velocity and also for the turbulence. In addition to the simulations done in Fluent, simulation results using different code (CFX 12.1) and different model (full Euler–Euler) are also presented in this paper. The experimental measurements of liquid interstitial velocity in the riser and in the downcomer were done by evaluating the response to the injection of a sulphuric acid solution measured with pH probes. The gas holdup in the riser and downcomer was measured with the U-tube manometer. The results showed that the simulation setup works quite well when there are no bubbles present in the downcomer, and that the sensitivity to the drag closure is rather low in this case. The agreement was getting worse with the increase of gas holdup in the downcomer. The use of different multiphase model in the different code (CFX) gave almost the same results as the Fluent simulations.     

三相气升式环流反应器内上升区相含率轴向分布与循环液速的研究

常温常压下,在三相气升式内环流反应器中,将硅铝球、石英砂和瓷球分别与空气、水组成三相物系,考察了细颗粒与大颗粒物系中上升区相含率轴向分布规律、固体装载率和颗粒粒径对该规律的影响,以及各物系中上升区循环液速随表观气速的变化规律。结果表明:随轴向高度的增加,瓷球物系中上升区固含率εsr先增大后减小;硅铝球物系中εsr减小;石英砂物系中εsr均匀分布。随轴向高度的增加,瓷球物系中上升区气含率εgr增大;硅铝球物系中εgr减小;石英砂物系中εgr先增大后减小。固定表观气速,各轴向位置处的上升区气含率随固体装载率、颗粒粒径的增大而增大。当固体装载率相同时,各物系中上升区循环液速随表观气速的增大而增大。     

Influence of the gas—liquid separator design on hydrodynamic and mass transfer performance of split-channel airlift reactors

Three geometric configurations of gas–liquid separators were used in split-channel airlift reactors (0·1 m³ liquid volume; riser-to-downcomer cross-sectional area ratio = 0·7; aspect ratio = 3.6) to test the effect of geometry on hydrodynamic performance and oxygen transfer behaviour. For otherwise fixed conditions, the design of gas–liquid separators affected the induced liquid circulation rate, the depth of penetration of the bubble layer in the downcomer, the gas holdup in the downcomer, the mixing time and the overall volumetric gas–liquid oxygen transfer coefficient. The gas holdup in the riser was only marginally affected by the design of the separator. The impact of the various separator designs on hydrodynamic behaviour could be explained as emanating from a combination of the gas–liquid separating ability of the design and its hydraulic resistance.     

多室气升式环流反应器流动特性的数值模拟

在空气-水两相多室气升式环流反应器（MALR）中,采用欧拉欧拉两相流模型对扇形反应室内气液两相流动过程进行了数值模拟研究,考察了上升室的气含率、液体速度随表观气速的变化,最后用实验数据对模拟结果进行了验证.结果表明,某一上升室气含率受该室表观气速的影响较大,与另一上升室表观气速的影响较小;循环液体与上升室流体流动型式有关;气含率和循环液速的模拟值与实验值的平均相对误差分别为5.36％和8.28％;说明了应用数值模拟方法研究MALR流动特性的可行性.     

Bubble size in a forced circulation loop reactor

BACKGROUND: The bubble size distribution in gas‐liquid reactors influences gas holdup, residence time distribution, and gas‐liquid interfacial area for mass transfer. This work reports on the effects of independently varied gas and liquid flow rates on steady‐state bubble size distributions in a new design of forced circulation loop reactor operated with an air–water system. The reactor consisted of a cylindrical vessel (～26 L nominal volume, gas‐free aspect ratio ≈ 6, downcomer‐to‐riser cross‐sectional area ratio of 0.493) with a concentric draft tube and an annular riser zone. Both gas and liquid were in forced flow through a sparger that had been designed for minimizing the bubble size. RESULTS: Photographically measured bubble size distributions in the riser zone could be approximated as normal distributions for the combinations of gas and liquid flow rates used. This contrasted with other kinds of size distributions (e.g. bimodal, Gaussian) that have been reported for other types of gas‐liquid reactors. Most of the bubbles were in the 3 to 5 mm diameter range. At any fixed low value of aeration rate (≤1.8 × 10^?4 m³s^?1), increase in the liquid flow rate caused earlier detachment of bubbles from the sparger holes to reduce the Sauter mean bubble size in the riser region. CONCLUSION: Unlike in conventional bubble columns where bimodal and Gaussian bubble size distributions have been reported, a normal bubble size distribution is attained in forced circulation loop reactors with an air–water system over the entire range of operation. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

Experimental Study on Bubble Rising and Descending Velocity Distribution in a Slurry Bubble Column Reactor

To determine bubble rising and descending velocity simultaneously, a BVW‐2 four‐channel conductivity probe bubble parameters apparatus and its analysis are used in gas‐liquid and gas‐liquid‐solid bubble columns. The column is 100 mm in internal diameter and 1500 mm in height. The solid particles used are glass beads with an average diameter of 17.82 μm, representing typical particle size for catalytic slurry reactors. The effects of superficial gas velocity (1.0 cm/s ≤ U_g ≤ 6.4 cm/s), solid holdup (0 % ≤ ?_s ≤ 30 %), and radial location (r/R = 0, 0.4, and 0.7) on bubble velocity distributions are determined. It is found that increasing U_g can increase the velocity of bubbles but do not exert much influence on bubble velocity distribution. Solid holdup mainly affects the distribution of bubble velocity while the radial direction affects bubble velocity distribution only slightly. The ratio of descending bubbles to rising bubbles increases from the bubble column center to the wall. It can be proved experimentally that large bubbles do not always rise faster than small bubbles at higher U_g (for example 6.4 cm/s).     

高长径比三相内环流反应器中相含率的分布研究

在长径比为22的三相内环流反应器中,常温常压下,以空气-水-石英砂为物系,根据无因次准数建立了气含率、固含率的预测模型,考察了在不同粒径下上升区气含率、下降区气含率和上升区固含率、下降区固含率随表观气速的变化规律和不同固体体积分数下轴向固含率的分布情况。结果表明：不同粒径下上升区和下降区气含率均随表观气速的增大而增大;当粒径（ds）≤0．3mm时,上升区固含率随表观气速的增加呈平缓趋势,下降区固含率随表观气速的增加而增加,当0．3mm〈d。≤1．2mm时,上升区固含率随表观气速的增加而呈先下降后增加的趋势,下降区固含率随表观气速的增加而下降;不同固体体积分数下的固体颗粒的固含率随着轴向高度的增大而变化平缓,能够均匀的分布在反应器中;气含率和固含率的计算值和实验值吻合较好,其平均相对误差分别为6．32％、4．56％。