Evolution of bubble length distributions in three-phase fluidized beds
- Chemical Reactor Engineering Centre, Faculty of Engineering Science, Univ. of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B9 (CA)
Three-phase fluidization is an operation that has been applied to many chemical processes. The performance of a three-phase fluidized bed reactor is highly influenced by the bubble behavior. For example, gas bubbles affect bed expansion, bed mixing, gas holdup, particle entrainment, and mass transfer among the three phases. Therefore, the knowledge of the gas holdup, bubble velocity, bubble size, and its distribution, is very important in order to understand the behavior of this type of reactor. The aim of this present paper is the description of the steady-state evolution process of the average value and the distribution of bubble lengths in a column with solid particles whose diameter is smaller than the so-called critical particle size, which is around 3 mm for the air-water-glass beads system. Bubble length distributions are obtained from in situ fiber optic probe measurements throughout the fluidized bed. The evolution of bubble length distributions is studied under various operating conditions. The bubble flow regimes are identified objectively by studying, under steady-state operation, the bubble length mappings (functions of both axial and radial positions) in the fluidized bed.
- OSTI ID:
- 5726474
- Journal Information:
- A.I.Ch.E. Journal (American Institute of Chemical Engineers); (United States), Journal Name: A.I.Ch.E. Journal (American Institute of Chemical Engineers); (United States) Vol. 36:11; ISSN AICEA; ISSN 0001-1541
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
420400* -- Engineering-- Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow
AIR FLOW
BUBBLES
CAFB PROCESS
CRITICALITY
FIBER OPTICS
FLOW VISUALIZATION
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDIZED BEDS
GAS FLOW
MASS TRANSFER
ON-LINE MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS
ON-LINE SYSTEMS
PARTICLE SIZE
PHASE STUDIES
SIZE
STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS
TURBULENT FLOW
VELOCITY