Prediction of Gas Holdup in a Three-Phase Internal Loop Airlift Fluidized Bed Reactor Using Newtonian and non-Newtonian Liquids

Abstract

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 4pt; line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">The effect of superficial gas and liquid velocities, particle diameter and sphericity, physical and rheological properties of liquids on gas holdup were studied in a three phase internal loop airlift fluidized bed reactor. Air was used as a gas phase. Water, n-butanol, various concentrations of glycerol (60% and 80%) were used as Newtonian liquids and different concentrations (0.25%, 0.6% and 1.0%) of carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC) solutions were used as non-Newtonian liquids. Spheres, Bearl saddle and Rasich ring with different diameters were used as solid phases. Superficial gas velocity varied from 0.000142 m/s to 0.005662 m/s and superficial liquid velocity varied from 0.001 to 0.12 m/s. The experimental result shows that increase in particle size and superficial gas velocity increases gas holdup and decreases with increase in concentration of Newtonian and non-Newtonian systems. Based on the experimental results a separate correlation was developed to predict gas holdup for both Newtonian and non-Newtonian liquids for wide range of operating conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></p