Application of New Inflection Point Method for Hydrodynamics Study in Slurry Bubble Column Reactors

Abstract

<em>Bubble column reactors are used in a wide variety of applications such as multiphase bioreactors, catalytic slurry reactors, and absorption processes. The superficial gas velocity-gas holdup relationship and transition point are two important parameters for characterizing the hydrodynamics of a bubble column reactor. In this study, systematic investigation of a nitrogen - water - glass beads bubble column was conducted using the Taguchi experimental design method. The L₁₆ (45) orthogonal array was selected for experiments design. Results showed that the order of importance of parameters is as follows: bed porosity, the ratio of height to diameter, and superficial gas velocity. A novel mathematical model was developed using the experimental data and based on 4th order polynomial. This model was successfully used to obtain the transition point with a high accuracy. The results of the mathematical method were in close agreement with those of the drift flux method. For liquid level of H=12D and slurry content of 13 vol%, transition velocity of 2.98 cm/s was calculated using the presented method, while a velocity of 3.14 cm/s was obtained from the drift flux method.</em>