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Friction on a solid sphere exposed to gas–liquid and gas–liquid–solid flow in bubble column and fluidized bed reactors
Author(s) -
Essadki H.,
Delmas H.,
Svendsen H. F.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of chemical technology and biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1097-4660
pISSN - 0268-2575
DOI - 10.1002/jctb.280620314
Subject(s) - drag , mechanics , bubble , mass transfer , turbulence , fluidized bed , flow (mathematics) , particle (ecology) , materials science , velocity gradient , superficial velocity , chemistry , thermodynamics , physics , geology , oceanography
Abstract Local velocity gradients on a solid spherical surface have been studied in a bubble column and in two‐ and three‐phase fluidized beds, in order to clarify the influence of gas flow. The electrochemical method, measuring apparent local mass transfer coefficients, was verified and used to obtain the local velocity gradients, shear stresses and total frictional forces. The observed mass transfer rate was independent of liquid velocity, owing to a non‐changing flow structure around the particles and not to averaging opposing effects. The identity in flow structure also held for three‐phase fluidized beds up to a superficial gas velocity of 5 cm s −1 . The dramatic increase in velocity gradient on gas introduction was not a result of decreased homogenous density, but was caused by a change in the turbulent structure around a particle, leaving a larger portion of the total drag as frictional drag, thus improving the mass transfer characteristics of the bed. Use of velocity gradient measurements, including span of fluctuations and exposure time, to predict biomass growth and mechanical degradation in a reactor is also discussed.