An experimental set-up for the identification of parameters of the trickle flow in a packed bed

Abstract

An experimental technique has been developed to identify parameters of the trickle flow of liquid under the counter-current flow of gas. The technique has been based on measurement of the response in the outlet stream to a periodic concentration perturbation of the inlet liquid stream. A two-chamber distributor for liquid has been developed effecting a virtually ideal rectangular concentration pulse uniformly across the whole column inlet. The nearly perfect shape of the inlet pulse permitted us to replace the measurement of the inlet concentration by a two-level indication of the instantaneous function of the distributor. An experimental device has been developed for sampling the outlet stream of liquid. The device permits samples to be taken of feasibly small volume and yet large enough to eliminate the stochastic nature of individual rivulets draining from the bed. The function of both devices was tested by measurement of the frequency dependences of the amplitude ratio and the phase lag between the outlet and the inlet stream.