Modeling of mixing in the liquid phase for bubble column

Abstract EN

Hydrodynamic characteristics (mixing in the liquid phase) in a bubble column with a non-Newtonian liquid phase (aqueous solutions of carboxymethylcellulose, or CMC, at different concentrations) were measured and correlated.

Experiments in a 0.2-m diameter, 2.4-m-high bubble column were carried out to determine degree of mixing in the liquid phase at various gas and liquid flow rates.

The axial dispersion model was used in the two operating modes, batch and continuous, and the tanks-in-series model was used just in the case of continuous mode.

The axial dispersion model with closed-closed boundary conditions fit experimental data quite well and thus was used to estimate the axial dispersion coefficient.

This parameter was higher in batch mode than in continuous mode, and its trend was to increase as superficial gas velocity increased.