Gas−Liquid Interfacial Area and Holdup in a Cocurrent Upflow Packed Bed Bubble Column Reactor at Elevated Pressures

Abstract

Gas−liquid interfacial area have been determined by means of chemically enhanced absorption of CO2 in nitrogen as the carrier gas into DEA as well as DEA−ETG aqueous solutions in a packed bed upflow bubble column reactor with an inner diameter of 156 mm. The influence of the reactor pressure, gas and liquid superficial velocities as well as liquid phase viscosities and packing particles diameter on the interfacial areas, pressure drops, and liquid holdups has been investigated. No distinct pressure influence on the measured interfacial areas is observed, while a dependence on the gas superficial velocities has indeed been found. Results indicate that only in the bed packed with glass spheres of 10 mm diameter may two-phase flow in the interparticle voids occur. For smaller particles flow maldistributions are found and pure gas flow in part of the voids is anticipated, simultaneous to regular gas−liquid flow in the other voids.

Effect of Tween 80 on Bubble Size and Mass Transfer in a Bubble Contactor

“…the use of a similar equation taking into account the potential trend caused by these operation variables [18,19].…”

Gas hold‐up and bubble behavior in an upflow packed bed column in the limit of low flow rate

“…A modified liquid displacement method was used for measuring gas hold‐up in the bed. As mentioned in the literature review, Molga and Westerterp also used liquid level method for liquid hold‐up measurement and reported that particle size does not affect the hold‐up. It is desirable to have a more accurate technique for measuring the gas hold‐up using this method.…”

“…They reported that at high flow rates of air and water, the pressure drop across the packed bed is high, which leads to the increase of gas hold‐up in the top section of the bed. Molga and Westerterp used liquid level measurement for liquid hold‐up calculation at elevated pressures in an upflow packed bed. They investigated the effect of particle size on liquid hold‐up, where no influence of the particle diameter on the measured hold‐up was detected.…”

Prediction of Two-Phase Frictional Pressure Drop for the Concurrent Gas and Newtonian Liquids Upflow through Packed Beds

“…However, much of the data are in bubble flow regime with very few in pulse flow regime. Molga and Westerterp [10] found that the correlation due to Larachi et al [9]) could not represent their data in bubble flow regime at elevated pressures. The correlation due to Srinivas and Chhabra [11] could satisfactorily represent their data in the bubble flow regime.…”