The effects of operating conditions on the pressure variation at the bottom of a 16.6 cm i.d. reciprocating plate column

Abstract

The effects of the intensity of vibration, superficial gas velocity, content of solid particles and rheology of the liquid phase on the total and time-averaged pressure variation at the bottom of a 16.6 cm i.d. reciprocating plate column were studied. The total and time-averaged pressure variation at the column bottom were found to increase with increasing vibration intensity, liquid viscosity and content of solid particles, but to decrease with increasing superficial gas velocity. The pressure variation at the column bottom was greater in the column filled with CMC solutions than in the one with distilled water. The pressure variation at the column bottom was correlated with the vibration intensity and the liquid phase hold-up. The pressure variations at the bottom of columns of different diameter were also compared. The orifice coefficient for plates of approximately the same free fraction area was found to decrease with increasing column diameter.