Influence of fluid-mechanical characteristics of the system on the volumetric mass transfer coefficient and gas dispersion in three-phase system

Abstract

Distribution of gas bubbles and volumetric mass transfer coefficient, Kla, in a three phase system, with different types of solid particles at different operation conditions were studied in this paper. The ranges of superficial gas and liquid velocities used in this study were 0,03-0,09 m/s and 0-0,1 m/s, respectively. The three different types of solid particles were used as a bed in the column (glass dp=3 mm, dp=6 mm; ceramic dp=6 mm). The experiments were carried out in a 2D plexiglas column, 278 x 20,4 x 500 mm and in a cylindrical plexiglas column, with a diameter of 64 mm and a hight of 2000 mm. The Kla coefficient increased with gas and liquid velocities. Results showed that the volumetric mass transfer coefficient has a higher values in three phase system, with solid particles, compared with two phase system. The particles properties (diameter and density) have a major impact on oxygen mass transfer in three phase systems.