Abstract
Reactive bubble columns are omnipresent in the chemical industry. The layout of these columns is still limited by correlations and therefore improved simulation techniques are required to describe the complex hydrodynamics/reaction interaction. In this work, we focus on the numerical and experimental study of the viscosity influence on bubble motion and reaction using an Euler-Lagrange framework with an added oscillation and reaction model to bring the column layout base closer to a predictive level. For comparison and validation, experimental data in various water-glycerol solutions was obtained in a cylindrical bubble column at low gas hold-up, where the main parameters such as bubble size, motion, and velocities were detected. Glycerol leads thereby to a change in viscosity and surface tension. Further, the surface tension was modified by addition of a surfactant. The bubble oscillating motion in low to higher viscosity could be described using an Euler-Lagrange framework and enables a description of industrial bubble flows. In addition, the simulations were in good agreement concerning reactive mass transfer investigations at higher viscosity of the liquid which led to an overall lower mass transfer compared to the cases with lower viscosity.
Highlights
Reactive bubble columns are widespread in chemical process engineering
We focus on the numerical and experimental study of the viscosity influence on bubble motion and reaction using an Euler–Lagrange framework with an added oscillation and reaction model to bring the column layout base closer to a predictive level
The overall performance of these reactors relies on the interaction between the hydrodynamics, interfacial mass transfer, and chemical reactions
Summary
2014; Hlawitschka et al, 2016, 2017; Schäfer et al, 2019). The interactions between the phases are modelled in this case. Experiments in bubble columns using high viscous liquids were either made in plug flow setups (e.g., de Azevedo et al, 2017) or at higher gas hold-up, where in the second case, bubble interactions such as coalescence may have a dominant effect on bubble size and with that on the hydrodynamics (Wilkinson and Dierendonck, 1990; Urseanu et al, 2003; Kulkarni and Joshi, 2005; Kajero et al, 2012; Besagni et al, 2017; Laupsien et al, 2017). Experimental data from a cylindrical bubble column using different glycerol/water and sodiumdodecylsulfat (SDS) concentrations is used The relevant parameters, such as bubble oscillation amplitude and wavelength, bubble velocity, and CO2 concentration fields are analysed
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