A New Approach for the Prediction of Gas Holdup in Bubble Columns Operated under Various Pressures in the Homogeneous Regime

Abstract

A new semi-theoretical approach for prediction of gas holdups in the homogeneous flow regime is suggested. The model is based on two different expressions for the gas–liquid interfacial area. It is argued that in the case of oblate ellipsoidal bubbles (formed in the homogeneous regime) some correction factor should be introduced in order to render both expressions equivalent. The correction term is correlated to Eötvös number and a dimensionless gas density ratio. The method was capable of predicting 386 experimental gas holdups measured in 21 organic liquids, 17 liquid mixtures and tap water with an average relative error of 9.6%.