Effect of liquid velocity on axial mixing in gas-liquid dispersions: a CFD simulation

Abstract

A CFD analysis has been carried out to elucidate the characteristic features of axial mixing in gas-liquid dispersed upflow when the flow changes between two extremes: from bubble column, with very low/no liquid velocity, to pipe flow with very high liquid velocity. The CFD model was validated by simulating flow both in multiphase and in single phase. An agreement was observed between the predictions and the experimental data available in the published literature. The validated CFD model has been extended for the simulation of the axial dispersion coefficient for both multiphase and single phase. CFD predictions of the axial dispersion coefficient show good agreement with experimental values published in the literature. A systematic numerical study was done by varying the superficial liquid velocity, from a very low value to a very high value, to understand its effect on axial dispersion.