Gas holdup in bubble column reactors operating in the churn-turbulent flow regime

Abstract

A comprehensive experimental study of gas holdup in bubble columns of varying diameters, fitted with different distributor types, using several liquids is presented. Air was used as the gas phase. Experiments to test the influence of gas density were also carried out with He, Ar, and SF₆. A generalization of the two-phase model for gas–solid fluidized beds was used to interpret the experimental data where the “dilute” phase is identified with the “large” bubble population and the “dense” phase with the liquid phase where the “small” bubble population is entrained. Gas holdups in dilute and dense phases were determined from dynamic gas disengagement experiments.