Gas-liquid Mass Transfer Coefficient Research Articles

Gas-liquid-soild triphasic continuous flow microreactor for improving homogeneous distribution of solid composites in heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation progress

The homogeneous distribution of solid composites in continuous flow photocatalytic progress is difficult due to the settle and clog in capillary. To overcome this challenge, a gas–liquid-soild triphasic continuous flow photoreactor was designed and used for heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics wastewater. In this work, take Bi2WO6 as photocatalyst, photocatalytic degradation of ofloxacin wastewater was studied systematically under different operational parameters and flow characteristics. The photocatalytic degradation performance of flow photoreactor was superior to batch counterpart, especially in later stage of reaction. The apparent reaction rate constants (k) of flow photoreactor was about 1.6 times that of batch counterpart. The gas–liquid mass transfer coefficient of flow photoreactor was more than 25 times that of batch photoreactor. Moreover, the influence mechanism of gas fraction, flow rate and tube diameter on photocatalytic degradation performance was investigated under various continuous flow conditions. Higher gas fraction, faster flow rate and smaller tube diameter were beneficial to improve photocatalytic degradation performance due to the enhancement of irradiation transmission and intensification of mass transfer. Therefore, the results of this work provided a guideline for the application of gas–liquid-soild triphasic continuous flow photocatalytic degradation technology in the future.

Investigation of hydrodynamic performance in a staggered multistage internal airlift loop reactor

The multistage internal airlift loop reactor (MIALR) has shown promising application prospects in gas–liquid–solid reaction systems. However, traditional MIALRs have a global circulation with strong interstage liquid-phase exchange. This paper proposes a staggered multistage internal airlift loop reactor (SMIALR) that incorporates special guide elements to create a staggered flow. Both experiments and computational fluid dynamics-population balance model simulations were conducted to investigate the hydrodynamic performances of MIALR and SMIALR. The results demonstrate that SMIALR exhibits a local circulation at each stage. Bubbles have a longer residence time in SMIALR, resulting in a 28.35%–55.54% increase in gas holdup and a 7.27%–13.69% increase in volumetric mass transfer coefficient. The gas–liquid mass transfer coefficient of SMIALR was improved by increasing the gas–liquid interfacial area. Additionally, the radial distribution of solids was found to be more uniform. This study offers insights for optimizing MIALR and provides a theoretical foundation for the design and scale-up of SMIALR.

Preventing crystallization at high concentrated 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol for energy-saving CO2 capture

2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) combines the advantages of the faster reaction rate of primary/secondary amines and the high absorption capacity of tertiary amines, making it a highly promising alternative to monoethanolamine (MEA). However, at high AMP concentrations, the absorption products are prone to solid crystallization, resulting in unstable operation of the carbon capture system. In this work, by adding a small amount of diethylenetriamine (DETA) to AMP, the crystallization of reaction products can be effectively controlled and AMP-DETA absorbent possesses a high absorption rate, low regeneration energy, and low metal corrosion rate. Wetted-wall column tests were performed to comprehensively evaluate the mass transfer kinetics and the effect of crucial conditions, and the diffusion coefficient, gas–liquid mass transfer coefficient, enhancement factor, and mass transfer resistance distribution were obtained. The effect of the addition of DETA on the solubility of HCO3− was verified. DETA carbamate was more likely to form intermolecular hydrogen bonds with HCO3−, thus reducing the formation of dimeric or multichain macromolecules between HCO3− molecules through hydrogen bonds and inhibiting the crystallization of high concentration HCO3−. HCO3− can accelerate the desorption rate by participating in the deprotonation of protonation amines. The results demonstrated that the average regeneration energy of the AMP–DETA absorption system was reduced by 21.2 % relative to that of 5 M MEA, and its metal corrosion rate was 0.07 mm/a, which was only 7.9 % of MEA under the same conditions. The results contribute to the industrial application of AMP–DETA.

Global characterization of hydrodynamics and gas-liquid mass transfer in a thin-gap bubble column in presence of Newtonian or non-Newtonian liquid phase

Bubble columns are commonly used as photobioreactors (PBRs) due to their good mixing and mass transfer capabilities. Modification in design and operating parameters are nevertheless needed to intensify volumetric productivity. Thin-gap bubble column can be used in this context to operate with high biomass concentration, up to conditions where the culture becomes non-Newtonian. In the present study, the global hydrodynamics and gas–liquid mass transfer inside a 4 mm thickness thin-gap bubble column are characterized in presence of low viscosity Newtonian fluid (water) and two aqueous solutions of Carboxymethyl Cellulose and Xanthan Gum. These shear-thinning solutions are used to mimic high concentration cultures of Chlorella Vulgaris at 42 g.L−1. A range of superficial gas velocities and different capillary diameters are explored to investigate the effect of sparging on hydrodynamics and gas–liquid mass transfer. Studied parameters are flow regimes, mixing, and gas–liquid mass transfer. Results are compared with literature results in classical bubble columns to put into evidence the original effects of both confinement and liquid rheology. Among others, these results show that compared to Newtonian media, non-Newtonian media result in higher gas holdup and mixing times and a lower gas–liquid mass transfer coefficient. The findings suggest that the presence of smaller bubbles would improve mass transfer due to the increased interfacial area, while the presence of larger bubbles would improve mixing performance due to increased vorticity in their wake and relatively greater species transport.

Unlocking the Potential of Nanobubbles: Achieving Exceptional Gas Efficiency in Electrogeneration of Hydrogen Peroxide.

The electrogeneration of hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) via the oxygen reduction reaction is a crucial process for advanced water treatment technologies. While significant effort is being devoted to developing highly reactive materials, gas provision systems used in these processes are receiving less attention. Here, using oxygen nanobubbles to improve the gas efficiency of the electrogeneration of H2 O2 is proposed. Aeration with nanobubbles is compared to aeration with macrobubbles under an identical experimental set-up, with nanobubbles showing a much higher gas-liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient (KL a) of 2.6 × 10-2 min-1 compared to 2.7 × 10-4 min-1 for macrobubbles. Consequently, nanobubbles exhibit a much higher gas efficiency using 60% of O2 delivered to the system compared to 0.19% for macrobubbles. Further, it is observed that the electrogeneration of H2 O2 using carbon felt electrodes is enhanced using nanobubbles. Under the same dissolved oxygen levels, nanobubbles boost the reaction yield to 84%, while macrobubbles yield only 53.8%. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the use of nanobubbles in electrochemical reactions and demonstrate their ability to enhance gas efficiency and electrocatalytic response. These findings have important implications for developing more efficient chemical and electrochemical processes operating under gas-starving systems.

A convenient method for measuring gas-liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient in micro reactors

The research on gas-liquid multiphase reactions using micro reactors is becoming increasingly widespread, given their excellent mass transfer performance. Establishing an accurate and reliable method to measure the gas-liquid mass transfer performance of micro reactors is crucial for evaluating and optimizing the design of micro reactor structure. In this paper, the physical absorption method of aqueous solution-CO2 and the chemical absorption method of sodium carbonate solution-CO2 were proposed. By analyzing the chemical reaction equilibrium during the absorption process, the relationship between the mass transfer of CO2 and the solubility of hydroxide ions in the solution was established, and the total gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient was immediately obtained by measuring the pH value. The corresponding testing platform and process have been established based on the characteristics of the proposed method to ensure fast and accurate measurement. In addition, the chemical absorption method takes into account temperature factors that were not previously considered. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient measured by these two methods is in the same range as those measured by other methods using the same microchannel structure in previous literature. The methods have the advantages of low equipment cost, faster measurement speed, and simpler procedures, which can facilitate its wide application to the evaluation of the mass transfer performance and hence can guide the structure optimization of microchannel reactors.

Photobioreactors for utility-scale applications: effect of gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient and other critical parameters.

Cultivation of microalgae and controlling its growth and performance in closed photobioreactors (PBRs) are easier than open pond systems for wastewater treatment. The performance of PBRs is influenced by geometry, hydrodynamic behavior, and mass transfer. Horizontal and vertical configurations as common designs of PBR are reviewed based on their features, advantages, and disadvantages. However, vertically operated PBRs like bubble columns are preferably used for utility-scale applications of microalgae-based processes. Moreover, an appropriate reactor design reduces the inhibitory effect of dissolved oxygen concentration produced by microalgae and consequently increases the level of available CO2 in the medium. Medium properties, superficial gas velocity, gas holdup, bubble sizes, shear stress, mixing time, sparger design, and the ratio of inner diameter to effective height are shown to influence the overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient (KLa) and PBR's performance. The vertical PBRs like bubble columns provide a high mass transfer, a short liquid circulation time, and a long frequency of light/dark cycle for utility application of microalgae. Different flow regimes are obtained in PBRs based on the gas flow rate, inner diameter, and medium properties. Hydraulic retention time as the main operational parameter is determined in a batch mode for continuous wastewater treatment.

Remarkable improvement of gas–liquid mass transfer by modifying the structure of conventional T‐junction microchannel

AbstractEnhancing the mass transfer performance just by modifying the channel structure without external energy input is one of the most important topics for microchemical technology development. This work reports the high‐performance gas–liquid mass transfer in a novel step T‐junction microchannel. The liquid‐side mass transfer coefficient in the step T‐junction has been significantly improved by one order of magnitude when compared with the conventional T‐junction, which is higher up to 60 × 10−4 m/s. To our knowledge, it might be the highest value obtained in the microchannel without external energy input. The parameters of bubble generation frequency and gas–liquid interface movement velocity in different microdevices are explored to reveal the mechanism behind the ultra‐high mass transfer coefficient in the step T‐junction. Finally, two models considering the gas absorption are developed for the bubble generation frequency and volume, and two models are proposed for the gas–liquid mass transfer coefficient.

Efficacy of a Fine Bubble Diffuser in Enhancing Attached Biofilm Hydrogenotrophic Denitrification Reactor Performance

The efficacy of a fine bubble (FB) diffuser in enhancing the performance of an attached biofilm hydrogenotrophic denitrification (HD) reactor was evaluated. HD reactors equipped with an FB diffuser (FB reactor) and an air stone (AS) diffuser that produced ordinary bubbles (AS reactor) were operated in parallel at different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) in a synthetic groundwater treatment experiment. A reduction in H2 consumption of approximately 77% was achieved using the FB diffuser to reach a gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient similar to that of the AS diffuser. The high gas dissolution efficiency of the FB diffuser resulted in an effective nitrogen removal rate (NRR) enhancement, requiring less H2 supply. The highest value of NRR at 53.0±9.8 g-N/m3/d was obtained in the FB reactor at a minimum HRT of 3 h, which was two-fold higher than the corresponding value from the AS reactor. The FB reactor also had the lowest requirement of H2 for denitrification reaching 0.1 m3-H2/g-N in this condition, which was ten-fold lower than that in the AS reactor. Furthermore, the suspended sludge concentration in the FB reactor was lower than that in the AS reactor, indicating that the application of the FB diffuser can minimize excess suspended sludge accumulation inside the HD reactor. Microbial community analysis showed the predominance of Thauera spp. reaching a relative abundance of 15.7–27.3% in the FB reactor, suggesting a contribution to the HD. This finding can provide insight into the application of the FB diffuser for optimizing nitrate-contaminated groundwater treatment technology by HD.

Low-cost mineral packing materials improve DOM and micropollutants removal from landfill leachate in ozonation bubble columns: Insights into the enhancement mechanisms and applicability of surrogate-based monitoring

To intensify O3 mass transfer and increase removal of micropollutants in bio-treated landfill leachate, this study applied two minerals (lava rock and expanded clay aggregate (ECA)) to build mineral-packed bubble columns (named as LBC and EBC, respectively). The O3 gas–liquid mass transfer coefficient kLa of EBC (0.58 min−1) and LBC (0.62 min−1) was 2.4–2.5 times that of a non-packed bubble column (BC, 0.24 min−1). The O3 decomposition coefficient kd was also increased to 0.066 min−1 in EBC and 0.050 min−1 in LBC, as ECA and lava rock could work as stable catalysts to promote the O3 decomposition and generation of •OH. LBC and EBC had a comparable beneficial effect towards micropollutants removal and their intermediates’ degradation. At O3 dose of 0.08–1.46 g O3/g COD, minerals increased the removal of O3-recalcitrant compounds (atrazine and alachlor) by 20–40 % and the UV254 reduction (ΔUV254) by over 20 %. The enhancement of LBC and EBC resulted from the improved O3 mass transfer and the catalytic function of the minerals. Besides, a two-stage linear correlation between the O3-recalcitrant compounds removal and ΔUV254was observed. The first and second stage are dominated by the direct O3 reaction and •OH oxidation process, respectively. For the packed columns, removal mainly occurred at the second stage probably due to the improved •OH production by the packing materials. Based on such correlation model, ΔUV254 can be used as a surrogate for predicting the removal of micropollutants in packed columns. Overall, this study provides novel insights into the enhanced micropollutants abatement in landfill leachate by using mineral-packed ozone bubble columns.

CO2 capture and lipid production performance of microalgae in the S-shaped photobioreactor under different culture modes

An S-shaped photobioreactor was designed by adding grooves and baffles in the traditional photobioreactor to improve the culture efficiency of microalgae. After that, the parameters of the characterization of the S-shaped photobioreactor, such as the mixing time, gas holdup, and gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient, were determined. The biomass, lipid production rate, and average CO2 capture rate of microalgae were then analyzed under different culture modes. Finally, the feasibility of using digested piggery wastewater combined with simulated flue gas was explored as a culture mode for the microalgae and the lipid properties of the microalgae were analyzed. The results revealed that, at a flow rate of 0.08 vvm, the mixing time was reduced by 8.5 s, the gas hold-up increased by 44.6% and the gas–liquid mass transfer ability was also improved. Improvements were also observed in the biomass values, lipid production rate, and average CO2 capture rate of the microalgae under different culture conditions, with respective values reaching 0.23 g·(L·d)–1, 70.28 mg·(L·d)–1, and 0.43 g·(L·d)–1 under the mixotrophic mode. Additionally, digested piggery wastewater combined with the simulated microalgae flue gas culture was determined to be feasible. The biomass, lipid production rate, and the average CO2 capture rate of microalgae, the values of which were 0.22 g·(L·d)–1, 52.55 mg·(L·d)–1, and 0.41 g·(L·d)–1, respectively. Lipid was observed to have the potential to produce high-quality biofuel.

Magnetic-field-induced simultaneous charge separation and oxygen transfer in photocatalytic oxygen activation for algae inactivation

Photocatalytic oxygen activation is an excellent strategy for algae control in water. However, the fast recombination of photogenerated charge and slow rate of oxygen transfer limit the reactive oxygen species generation efficiency for algae inactivation. Herein, to solve above issues, magnetic field was introduced to the BiO2−x/Bi3NbO7 system to effectively covert oxygen into reactive radicals. The electrochemical experiment and DFT calculation results indicated the charge separation could be accelerated by the Lorentz force generated by the magnetic field, resulting in increase of electron concentration. Meanwhile, the value of volumetric gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient was increased by 59.79 % with magnetic field, thus more oxygen could be reduced to superoxide radical. Photocatalytic algae inactivation rate by BiO2−x/Bi3NbO7 with magnetic field could be increased by 2.07 times than that without magnet filed. This work further extends the strategy of using magnetic field to simultaneously facilitate the charge separation and oxygen transfer rate.

Performance and integrated mathematical simulations of catalytic ozonation of dimethyl phthalate with activated carbon in continuous gas-liquid-solid reactors

How to predict the efficacy of heterogeneous catalytic ozonation reactors in reducing pollutants remains limited by complex multiphase systems. An integrated mathematical model of catalytic ozonation by activated carbon (AC) was developed based on hydrodynamics, mass transfer, adsorption, and reaction kinetics to simulate the performance of gas-liquid continuous flow catalytic ozonation reactors. A novel method was proposed reflecting the catalyst behavior to transform the complex gas-liquid-solid multiphase catalytic system into mass conservation equations for each component in gas and liquid phases. The catalyst activity is assumed to be mainly represented by adsorption and the transformation of ozone to hydroxyl radicals (•OH) by active groups on catalyst surface. A mathematical formulation of •OH generation was derived based on the Langmuir-Hinshelwood (LH) mechanism. The model simulation results obtained the concentration profiles of each component and achieved a satisfactory predictive power with error less than 20%, which in turn justified the modeling process. Sensitivity analysis showed that parameters including gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient, secondary reaction rate constant for indirect oxidation and catalyst capacity transfer coefficient have greater influence on simulation results. The optimal conditions for ozone utilization and pollutant degradation were obtained using the validated model simulations: catalyst dosage of 5 g/L, gas flow rate of 0.05 L/min, and initial ozone concentration of 50 mg/L. The results suggest that this mathematical model can provide useful information for design and optimization of catalytic ozonation reactors during industrial applications.

Packing size effects on the liquid circulation property in an external‐loop packed bubble column

AbstractPacking size effects on the fluid dynamics in an external‐loop packed bubble column with Raschig rings of three different effective diameters (4.9, 14.1, and 40.7 mm) in the riser were investigated. The overall gas holdup, liquid circulating velocity and gas–liquid mass transfer coefficient were respectively measured by volume expansion, tracer‐response, and dynamic oxygen‐absorption techniques. CFD simulation with the Euler–Euler two‐fluid method was used to predict the liquid circulating velocity by treating the packing as a porous medium. Compared to the empty column, the gas holdup was found to increase in the presence of packing, however, the liquid circulating velocity and gas–liquid mass transfer coefficient are rather complicated. Specifically, the gas holdup increases with the decrease of packing size, while the liquid circulating velocity is on the contrary, and the maximal gas–liquid mass transfer coefficient is achieved under packing diameter of 14.1 mm.

Design and characterization of a new pressurized flat panel photobioreactor for microalgae cultivation and CO2 bio-fixation

Microalgae-based biorefinery processes are gaining particular importance as a biotechnological tool for direct carbon dioxide fixation and production of high-quality biomass and energy feedstock for different industrial markets. However, despite the many technological advances in photobioreactor designs and operations, microalgae cultivation is still limited due to the low yields achieved in open systems and to the high investment and operation costs of closed photobioreactors. In this work, a new alveolar flat panel photobioreactor was designed and characterized with the aim of achieving high microalgae productivities and CO2 bio-fixation rates. Moreover, the energy efficiency of the employed pump-assisted hydraulic circuit was evaluated. The 1.3 cm thick alveolar flat-panels enhance the light utilization, whereas the hydraulic design of the photobioreactor aims to improve the global CO2 gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient (kLaCO2). The mixing time, liquid flow velocity, and kLaCO2 as well as the uniformity matrix of the artificial lighting source were experimentally calculated. The performance of the system was tested by cultivating the green microalga Acutodesmus obliquus. A volumetric biomass concentration equal to 1.9 g L−1 was achieved after 7 days under controlled indoor cultivation conditions with a CO2 bio-fixation efficiency of 64% of total injected CO2. The (gross) energy consumption related to substrate handling was estimated to be between 27 and 46 Wh m−3, without any cost associated to CO2 injection and O2 degassing. The data suggest that this pilot-scale cultivation system may constitute a relevant technology in the development of microalgae-based industrial scenario for CO2 mitigation and biomass production.

Modelling of autogenerative high-pressure anaerobic digestion in a batch reactor for the production of pressurised biogas

BackgroundPressurised anaerobic digestion allows the production of biogas with a high content of methane and, at the same time, avoid the energy costs for the biogas upgrading and injection into the distribution grid. The technology carries potential, but the research faces practical constraints by a.o. the capital investment needed in high-pressure reactors and sensors and associated sampling limitations. In this work, the kinetic model of an autogenerative high-pressure anaerobic digestion of acetate, as the representative compound of the aceticlastic methanogenesis route, in batch configuration, is proposed to predict the dynamic performance of pressurised digesters and support future experimental work. The modelling of autogenerative high-pressure anaerobic digestion in batch configuration, which is not extensively studied and simulated in the present literature, was developed, calibrated, and validated by using experimental results available from the literature.ResultsUnder high-pressure conditions, the assessment of the Monod maximum specific uptake rate, the half-saturation constant and the first-order decay rate was carried out, and the values of 5.9 kg COD kg COD−1 d−1, 0.05 kg COD m−3 and 0.02 d−1 were determined, respectively. By using the predicted values, excellent fittings of the final pressure, the CH4 molar fraction and the specific methanogenic yield calculation were obtained. Likewise, the variation in the gas–liquid mass transfer coefficient by several orders of magnitude showed negligible effects on the model predictive values in terms of methane molar fraction of the produced biogas, while the final pressure seemed to be slightly influenced.ConclusionsThe proposed model allowed to estimate the Monod maximum specific uptake rate for acetate, the half-saturation rate for acetate and the first-order decay rate constant, which were comparable with literature values reported for well-studied methanogens under anaerobic digestion at atmospheric pressure. The methane molar fraction and the final pressure predicted by the model showed different responses towards the variation of the gas–liquid mass transfer coefficient since the former seemed not to be affected by the variation of the gas–liquid mass transfer coefficient; in contrast, the final pressure seemed to be slightly influenced. The proposed approach may also allow to potentially identify the methanogens species able to be predominant at high pressure.

Enhanced gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient by bulk nanobubbles in water

Liquid-gas operation explores the widespread applications in multiple chemical processes industries. For an instance, the inclusion of fermentation, dissolved air flotation, paper and pulp processing, sludge decomposition, aeration, ozonation, etc. are majorly covered. Liquid-gas contacting devices are primarily employed to perform their mixing, and the conventional contacting devices envelopes the fine bubble diffusers, jet aerators, surface aerators, static mixers, ejectors, etc. The gas transfer into the liquid is done by bubble formation, and the bubbles furthermore diffuses into the bulk liquid. The bubble size plays an important role in the transfer of gas, lower the size of bubbles, more is the rate of gas transfer, such as the mass transfer coefficient is remarkably enhanced by microbubbles when compared with milli-bubbles. In this work, we created O2 nanobubbles by sparging oxygen gas into nanopores, and during the production of nanobubbles, we examined the oxygen gas volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa) into the water. Nanoparticle tracking analysis was used to determine the population and size of nanobubbles, and we found that the population of nanobubbles is in the order of 107 bubbles/mL, with a mean diameter of 100–200 nm. The gassing out technique determines the volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa), and the influence of gas flow rate on the volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa) has been demonstrated to be positive. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa) in the case of nanobubbles is found significantly larger than that of microbubbles, ranging from 2.2 to 3.8 min−1.

Numerical study of the hydrodynamics and mass transfer in the external loop airlift reactor

The objective of this study was to investigate the hydrodynamics and the gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient of an external-loop airlift reactor (ELAR). The ELAR was operated in three cases: different inlet velocities of fluids, different alcohols solutions (water, 0.5% methanol, 0.5% ethanol, 0.5% propanol and 0.5% butanol) and different concentration of methanol in solutions (0%, 0.5%, 1%, 2% and 5%). The influence of superficial gas velocity and various diluted alcohol solutions on hydrodynamics and the gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient of the ELAR was studied. Experimentally, the gas hold-up, liquid velocities and volumetric mass transfer coefficient values in the riser and the downcomer were obtained from the literature source. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed, based on two-phase flow, investigating different liquids regarding surface tension, assuming the ideal gas flow, applying the finite volume method and Eulerian-Eulerian model. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient was determined using the CFD and artificial neural network model. The effects of liquid parameters and gas velocity on the characteristics of the gas-liquid mass transfer were simulated. These models were compared with the appropriate experimental results. The CFD model successfully simulates the influence of different alcohols regarding the number of C-atoms on hydrodynamics and mass transfer.

Effects of blade structures on the dissolution and gas-liquid mass transfer performance of cup-shaped blade mixers

BackgroundA mixer with the advantages of excellent mixing performance and easy manufacturing is widely needed in industrial applications. In this work, the solid-liquid and gas-liquid mass transfer characteristics of a cup-shaped blade mixer, which is obtained by cutting a 90° stainless-steel elbow, are investigated. MethodsThe effects of blade structure, blade angle, blade height, baffle presence, surface tension, and gas holding on mass transfer characteristics were investigated by the conductivity probe and the dissolved oxygen dynamic method. Significant findingsResults show that the solid-liquid and gas-liquid mass transfer performance is enhanced as the inlet area of the cup-shaped blade is increased and the optimum blade angles are 22.5° and 15° respectively. The solid-liquid mass transfer performance can be improved when the baffles are removed. The gas-liquid mass transfer performance first deteriorates but then improves as the surfactant concentration is increased. Moreover, the mass transfer performance of the cup-shaped blade mixer is superior to that of the 45° -pitched blade and Rushton turbine. Meanwhile, the correlations of the solid-liquid and gas-liquid mass transfer coefficients are obtained, which would provide insight for the industrial design, optimization, and scale-up of cup-shaped blade mixers for multiphase systems.

Simulation of ethylene polymerization in continuous slurry reactors

A large volume of polyethylene is manufactured in continuous slurry reactors at an industrial scale. A complete reactor model of the polyethylene slurry reactors consists of the kinetic model, intraparticle diffusion model and the mass balance equations for individual species. In this paper, a modified polymeric multigrain model (PMGM) is used to describe the intraparticle monomer transport, rate of polymerization, particle growth and polymer yield in an ideal continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) using a single-site, non-deactivating catalyst. The effect of parameters such as the original catalyst size, ethylene partial pressure and the gas–liquid mass transfer coefficient on the radial monomer concentration profile, the rate of polymerization, polymer yield, reactor safety factor and the polydispersity index of the macroparticle is discussed.