Chemical Engineering Science, Vol.57, No.16, 3235-3250, 2002
A low Reynolds number k-epsilon model for the prediction of flow pattern and pressure drop in bubble column reactors
A low Reynolds number k-epsilon CFD model has been used for the description of flow pattern near the wall. An excellent agreement has been shown between the predicted and experimental hold-up and velocity profiles over a wide range of superficial gas velocity (V-G), column diameter (D), column height (H-D) and the nature of gas-liquid system (bubble diameter and their rise velocity). The CFD model has been extended for the prediction of pressure drop for two-phase gas-liquid flows in bubble columns. A comparison has been presented between the predicted and the experimental data over a wide range of superficial gas and liquid velocities and for three gas-liquid systems.
Keywords:bubble columns;design;CFD;fluid mechanics;mathematical modelling;low Reynolds number model;two-phase pressure drop