Gas holdup and bubble size behavior in a large-scale slurry bubble column reactor operating with an organic liquid under elevated pressures and temperatures

2007 ◽  
Vol 128 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 69-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arsam Behkish ◽  
Romain Lemoine ◽  
Laurent Sehabiague ◽  
Rachid Oukaci ◽  
Badie I. Morsi
Keyword(s):  
Bubble Size ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Bubble Column ◽  
Organic Liquid ◽  
Gas Holdup ◽  
Bubble Column Reactor ◽  
Column Reactor ◽  
Elevated Pressures ◽  
Slurry Bubble Column Reactor ◽  
Reactor Operating

Interfacial Area and Gas Holdup in a Bubble Column Reactor at Elevated Pressures

1996 ◽  
Vol 35 (11) ◽  
pp. 3842-3847 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Stegeman ◽  
P. A. Knop ◽  
A. J. G. Wijnands ◽  
K. R. Westerterp
Keyword(s):  
Bubble Column ◽  
Interfacial Area ◽  
Gas Holdup ◽  
Bubble Column Reactor ◽  
Column Reactor ◽  
Elevated Pressures

CFD Modeling with Experimental Validation of the Internal Hydrodynamics in a Pilot-Scale Slurry Bubble Column Reactor

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 599-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar M. Basha ◽  
Li Weng ◽  
Zhuowu Men ◽  
Badie I. Morsi
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Engineering ◽  
Bubble Column ◽  
Pilot Scale ◽  
Gas Holdup ◽  
Bubble Column Reactor ◽  
Cfd Model ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
Column Reactor ◽  
Slurry Bubble Column ◽  
Slurry Bubble Column Reactor

Abstract A multiphase-Eulerian, three-dimensional (3-D), computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was built to investigate the local hydrodynamics of a pilot-scale (0.29 m ID, 3 m height) Slurry Bubble Column Reactor (SBCR). The model was first validated against the gas holdup radial profiles in an air-water-glass beads system obtained in a 0.254 m ID and 2.5 m height column under ambient conditions at various superficial gas velocities by Yu and Kim (Bubble characteristics in the radial direction of three-phase fluidized beds. AIChE Journal 34, 2069–2072, 1988). The model was next validated against the gas holdup radial profile data for N2-Drakeol-glass beads system obtained in a 0.44 m ID and 2.44 m height reactor, including internals, operating under ambient conditions at various superficial gas velocities by Chen et al. (Fluid dynamic parameters in bubble columns with internals. Chemical Engineering Science 54, 2187–2197, 1999). The model was also validated against experimental data obtained in our lab for N2-Fischer Tropsch (F-T) reactor wax-Fe catalyst system obtained in a pilot-scale, Slurry Bubble column Reactor, SBCR (0.29 m ID, 3 m height) under pressures and temperatures up to 25.9 bar and 490 K, respectively. These three validations led to the selection of the turbulence and interphase drag coefficient models, and the optimization of the solution method, mesh size and structure and the step size. Moreover, the inclusion of RNG k-ε turbulence model coupled with the Wen-Yu (Mechanics of Fluidization. Chemical Engineering Progress Symposium Series 62, 100–111, 1966) / Schiller-Naumann (A drag coefficient correlation. Zeitung Ver. Deutsch. Ing 77, 318–320, 1935) drag correlations, and the mass transfer coefficients were found to provide the most accurate predictions of the experimental data. The CFD model was then used to investigate local gas holdup, liquid recirculation, local turbulence intensities, bubble diameters, and solids distribution throughout our pilot-scale SBCR, operating under typical F-T process conditions. The model predictions showed strong liquid recirculation and backmixing near the walls of the reactor, and the solid-phase velocity vectors closely followed those of the liquid-phase. A relatively high liquid turbulence intensities were observed in the vicinity of the sparger upon startup, however, after reaching a steady state, the liquid turbulence intensities became more evenly distributed throughout the reactor. The liquid turbulence intensities were slightly higher near the center of the reactor, and closely resembled the velocity vectors. Also, the Sauter mean bubble diameters increased, whereas the solids distribution decreased with reactor height above the gas distributor.

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