Effect of operation regime on bubble size and void fraction in a bubble
column with porous sparger
Abstract
Performance of bubble columns under transport processes is dependent on
bubble size distribution and void fraction. These multiphase parameters
are sensitive to the operation regime of a bubble column. The current
work presents a systematic study of bubble size and void fraction in a
batch bubble column within the homogeneous and heterogeneous regimes.
Effect of liquid viscosity and gas superficial velocity on bubble size
distribution, void fraction, and operation regime was investigated.
Results showed that increasing the viscosity accelerates the regime
transition. Bubble size distributions were statistically characterized
using probability density function and probability plots. It was shown
that bubble size distribution shifts from near-Gaussian in the
homogenous regime to lognormal (in parts) in the heterogeneous regime.
Dimensional reasoning was used to scale the bubble size and void
fraction with respect to the operation regime.