CFD simulation of sparger design and height to diameter ratio on gas hold-up profiles in bubble column reactors

Abstract

In the present work, a two-dimensional CFD model has been developed for the prediction of flow pattern in bubble column reactors. The model has been validated using available experimental data and extended to simulate the effect of the sparger design and height to diameter ratio on radial gas hold-up profiles. The predictions were compared with experimental measurements for a 0.385 m i.d. bubble column. The complete energy balance was established in all the cases. The simulations were carried out for three different gas-liquid systems (air-water, air-aqueous solution of butanol and air-aqueous solution of carboxyl methyl cellulose). A comparison has been presented between the predicted and the experimental data over a wide range of superficial gas velocity and for three gas-liquid systems. In all these cases, the CFD model has been found to predict the variation of hold-up profiles with respect to the column height and the sparger design.