Prospect of open-cell solid foams for floating-platform multiphase reactor applications – Maldistribution susceptibility and hydrodynamic behavior

110th Anniversary: Marinization of Multiphase Reactors through the Prism of Chemical Engineers

“…Effect of column (a) roll motion and (b) roll + pitch motion on the uniformity factor (a1, b1) and 2-D (Eulerian slice) visualization of liquid saturation (a2, b2) at H = 80 cm (U g = 0.062 m/s and U l = 0.003 m/s) for a solid foam. Adapted with permission from ref . Copyright 2018 Elsevier.…”

“…The authors highlighted spatial nonhomogeneities in the crosswise liquid distribution and liquid transversal migration during column Open-cell solid foams as a new generation of structured packings providing higher open porosities and higher specific surface areas have been recently contemplated for replacement of conventional randomly packings. 33,34 Hence, Motamed-Dashliborun et al 35 conducted an investigation focusing on the potential of solid foams as alternative packing internals for reactor and contactor applications in offshore floating platforms. The influence of column motions on the hydrodynamic behavior of SiSiC foam packed beds operated with concurrent descending gas−liquid flow was thoroughly studied using a similar WMS/hexapod ship motion simulator.…”

Hydrodynamics of gas-liquid co-current flow through a thin sheet of highly porous open cell solid foam

“…In unconfined (3D) experiments, the flow cannot be visualized directly and heavier or more costly methods can be employed such as X-ray, γ-ray or impedance tomography techniques [35][36][37][38][39][40]. Although few studies have focused on the flow regimes in such materials [41,42], the effect of confinement and/or buoyancy on the contact between phases still remains a fundamental issue. In particular, there is at present a gap of knowledge between strongly confined flows in millichannels and large reactors.…”

CFD study and experimental validation of multiphase packed bed hydrodynamics in the context of Rolling Sea conditions

“…Experimental studies on the hydrodynamic behavior of multiphase packed beds revealed that the stationary and dynamic deviations of the column axis from the vertical axis as well as acceleration forces profoundly influence the fluid flow paths in porous media (either random or structured packing) and gas–liquid contacting modes (i.e., cocurrent downward or upward, or countercurrent flows) . Time‐resolved spatial imaging of the gas–liquid distribution over the bed cross section obtained from measurement techniques such as electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) and capacitance wire‐mesh sensor (WMS) revealed noticeable fluid maldistribution and liquid saturation reduction due to column inclinations and oscillations . Spatiotemporal images demonstrated that bed stationary tilts resulted in accumulation of liquid in the lower‐wall regions, whereas rolling motions were responsible of periodic transverse migrations of fluids across the packing yielding oscillating maldistribution patterns.…”

“…Spatiotemporal images demonstrated that bed stationary tilts resulted in accumulation of liquid in the lower‐wall regions, whereas rolling motions were responsible of periodic transverse migrations of fluids across the packing yielding oscillating maldistribution patterns. Furthermore, a strong correlation was found between bed tilts/oscillations and departures of liquid flow from the ideal plug flow behavior …”