Dynamics of liquid dispersion in a rotating packed bed with single‐layer wire mesh

Abstract

The improvement of liquid dispersion by rotating wire mesh is one of the major causes for the mass transfer and micromixing intensification in rotating packed beds (RPBs). In particular, the initial dispersion region has been proved to have the greatest mass transfer and micromixing efficiency. However, the dispersion mechanism has not been revealed. This study investigated the dynamics of liquid dispersion in an RPB with single-layer wire mesh. The liquid dispersion behaviors were obtained by high-speed photography and numerical simulation. The liquid was found to stretch into ligaments and break into the main droplet and several satellite droplets. A new theoretical model was established to reveal the dispersion mechanism of these two stages. The stretching stage depends on the liquid initial momentum and acquired impulse, while the breakup stage was determined by the competition of ligaments recoil and pinch-off behaviors. The model was validated in good agreement with the experimental and simulation results of the dispersion characteristics.

Microbubbling by Multichannel Ceramic Membranes: Experimental Analysis and Modeling of Gas Flux

“…Dispersion and mixing are important unit processes, which affect the interphase mixing and mass transfer. − Membrane dispersion is an emerging technology with the advantages of controllability, energy saving, and high efficiency using microporous membranes as a fluid dispersion medium to prepare numerous tiny bubbles and droplets . For the gas–liquid two-phase system, sufficient pressure is needed to overcome the resistance of the membrane to the gas .…”