Operating characteristics of special bubble column reactors

Abstract

In chemical technology, bubble column reactors are often used to carry out gas-liquid conversions. Thus hydrogenation, hydroformylation, oxidation, sulphoxidation and chlorination are carried out in bubble columns, as are also fermentations and sewage water treatment processes. A considerable advantage of bubble column reactors as against other gas-liquid contact apparatus is their simplicity of construction without mechanically moving parts or parts subject to high wear and tear. The purpose of this paper is to report on the possible applications and on the behaviour in operation of specially designed and constructed bubble column reactors, for example, cascade bubble columns, bubble columns with internal or external loops and downflow bubble columns. The designs of bubble column reactor described here are used in the chemical industry for various process (Table 2). In the development of new process, there are often several different competing designs. The ultimate choice will depend on the operating characteristics discussed here.