Investigation of bubble diameter and flow regime between water and dilute aqueous ethanol solutions in an airlift reactor

doi:10.1007/s11705-010-1019-2

Front Chem Sci Eng

2011, Vol. 5

Issue (2) : 194-202 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11705-010-1019-2

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Investigation of bubble diameter and flow regime between water and dilute aqueous ethanol solutions in an airlift reactor

Baharak SAJJADI, Mostafa Keshavarz MORAVEJI(

), Reza DAVARNEJAD

Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak 38156-8-8349, Iran

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Abstract

In this study, the effect of ethanol addition into pure water and its concentration on bubble diameter, gas hold-up and flow regimes were investigated in an airlift reactor. Air and water with ethanol (concentration ranging from 0%–1%, v/v) were as dispersed and continuous phases, respectively. Superficial gas velocity was considered as an effective parameter. Bubble size distribution was measured by photography and picture analysis at various concentrations of ethanol and various velocities of gas. Alcohol concentration enhancement caused bubble diameter to decrease. Furthermore, the bubbles diameter in pure water was nearly 4 times higher than that of ethanol with concentration of 1% (v/v) and also was 3.4 times higher than that of ethanol with concentration of 0.25% (v/v) at the highest aeration gas velocity inlet. For ethanol solutions in lower superficial gas velocity, a homogenous flow regime was observed. This trend continued to inlet gas velocity of about 0.4 cm/s. The transition flow regime occurred after this datum although in pure water, a homogenous flow regime was observed up to a superficial gas velocity of 0.7 cm/s. The gas hold-up in dilute ethanol solutions were more than (around 2 times) that of pure water and increased with increasing concentration of ethanol in those solutions.

Keywords airlift rector bubble diameter gas hold-up flow regime ethanol

Corresponding Author(s): MORAVEJI Mostafa Keshavarz,Email:m-moraveji@araku.ac.ir

Issue Date: 05 June 2011

Cite this article:

Baharak SAJJADI,Mostafa Keshavarz MORAVEJI,Reza DAVARNEJAD. Investigation of bubble diameter and flow regime between water and dilute aqueous ethanol solutions in an airlift reactor[J]. Front Chem Sci Eng, 2011, 5(2): 194-202.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fcse/EN/10.1007/s11705-010-1019-2
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fcse/EN/Y2011/V5/I2/194

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