Hydrodynamics of the three-phase slurry Fischer-Tropsch bubble column reactors

Technical Report · Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:5752379

Bukur, D B; Daly, J G; Patel, S A

This report describes results of a study on hydrodynamics of three-phase bubble columns for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Experiments were conducted in two stainless bubble columns of 0.05 m and 0.21 m in diameter and 3 m tall, at 265{degrees}C and atmospheric pressure using nitrogen gas and two types of liquid medium (hydrotreated reactor wax designated FT-300, and raw reactor wax from fixed bed rectors at SASOL). The effects of solids types (iron oxide and silica), concentration (0--30 wt %), size (0--5 {mu}m and 20--44 {mu}m), slurry (liquid) velocity (up to 0.02 m/s) on the gas holdup and axial solids concentration profiles, were investigated. Phase volume fractions were determined using conventional (differential pressure measurements together with determination of slurry concentration along the column) and novel (dual energy nuclear density gauge) experimental techniques. Bubble size distribution and the Sauter mean bubble diameter were obtained using the dynamic gas disengagement (DGD) method. Flow regime transitions in both columns were determined using statistical analysis of both pressure and density fluctuations. Correlations for prediction of gas holdups and axial solids dispersion coefficient have been developed from experimental data obtained in this study. Data needed for calculation of the gas-liquid interfacial area (average gas holdup and Sauter mean bubble diameter) have been presented and can be used to estimate the mass transfer rate in slurry bubble column reactors. 105 refs., 19 figs., 38 tabs.

• Research Organization: Texas A and M Univ., College Station, TX (USA). Dept. of Chemical Engineering
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC22-86PC90012
• OSTI ID: 5752379
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/90012-10; ON: DE91014240
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
BUBBLES
SIZE
CHEMICAL REACTORS
HYDRODYNAMICS
FISCHER-TROPSCH SYNTHESIS
GASES
FLOW RATE
SLURRIES
CORRELATIONS
IRON OXIDES
MASS TRANSFER
PROGRESS REPORT
SILICA
VELOCITY
WAXES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DISPERSIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
FLUID MECHANICS
FLUIDS
IRON COMPOUNDS
MECHANICS
MINERALS
MIXTURES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SUSPENSIONS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
010408* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- C1 Processes- (1987-)
100200 - Synthetic Fuels- Production- (1990-)