Gas holdup in a bubble column reactor with different liquid phase properties

Determinations of overall gas hold up (εg) were conducted in a two-phase bubble column reactor which has 10 L working volume. The effects of parameters such as the riser superficial gas velocities (ug) (between 0.0011 and 0.0211m/s), liquid-phase properties (base oil such as HVI-150, HVI-90 and kerosene) and liquid height on εg were studied. As expected, the value of εg for the all of the fluids generally increased with increasing gas velocity. On the other hand, εg values decreased when viscosity (ν) of the base oil liquids were increased. The effect of liquid viscosity on εg was decreased by increase in height of liquid in the reactor, but various results were obtained for the effect of liquid height on superficial gas velocity. Suitable empirical correlations relating εg to ug and ν were presented. Further, all data for these systems was related to the viscosity and superficial gas velocity data using the below single correlation:

Keywords:

bubble column reactor , overall gas holdup , viscosity , liquid height