Measurement of hydrodynamic parameters in multi-stage bubble column using electrical resistance tomography techniques

Abstract

Based on the principle of CSTRs in series, hydrodynamic parameters of bubble column embedded with sieve plates are studied. The measurements were performed with superficial gas velocities in the range 0.026-0.156 m/s and studies in bubble columns of diameter D=0.282m with the air-water system are carried out. The gas holdup(εg) and its radial distribution above and under the plates of the bubble column are measured using Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT) and the differential pressure method. The effects of sieve plates with different fractional hole areas and different hole diameters on gas holdup are discussed. The experimental result shows a good agreement with the ones using differential pressure method and the ERT, and the different sieve plates have different effect on the hydrodynamic parameter of the multi-stage bubble column. With the gas superficial velocity added, the local gas holdup increased. Moreover, the gas holdup D-value of dual-planes is increased with a decrease of the percent free area(%FA) and hole diameters.