Bubble Column Reactors

Quak Foo Lee

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
The University of British Columbia
Topics Covered
Bubble column fundamentals
Type of bubble columns
Gas Spargers
Bubble flow dynamics
CFD Modeling
Experiments vs. Simulations
Introduction
Bubble columns are devices in which gas, in the
form of bubbles, comes in contact with liquid.

The purpose may be simply to mix the liquid phase.

Substances are transferred from one phase to the

other
Bubble Columns
Gas is sparged at the bottom of the liquid pool
contained by the column.

The net liquid flow may be co-current or counter-

current to the gas flow direction or may be zero.

Spargers, like porous plates, generate uniform size

bubbles and distribute the gas uniformly at the
bottom of the liquid pool.
Bubble Column

Co- Counter-
current current
Type of Bubble Columns

A) Simple bubble column; B) Cascade bubble column with sieve

trays;
B) C) Packed bubble column; D) Multishaft bubble column;
C) E) Bubble column with static mixers
Gas-Liquid Mixing

A) Bubble column; B) Downflow bubble column; C) Jet loop reactor

Pilot Scale bubble Column
Gas Distributions
The gas is dispersed to create small bubbles and
distribute them uniformly over the cross section of
the equipment to maximize the intensity of mass
transfer.

The formation of fine bubbles is especially desirable

in coalescence-hindered systems and in the
homogeneous flow regime.

In principle, however, significant mass transfer can

be obtained at the gas distributor through a high
local energy-dissipation density.
Static Gas Spargers
Dip Perforated
tube plate

Perforated ring Porous

plate
Dynamic Gas Spargers
Flow Regimes
Fluid Dynamics
Rising gas bubbles entrain liquid in their
wakes.

As a rule, this upward flow of liquid is much

greater than the net liquid flow rate.

Because of continuity, regions therefore exist

in which the liquid is predominantly moving
downward.
Fluid Dynamics

Radial distribution of liquid velocity in a bubble column

Cell Structure in BCs
Bubble Size
Sauter diameter dbS
(mean bubble diameter, calculated from the volume to surface ratio)

This formula is based on Kolmogorov's theory of isotropic

turbulence.
Bubble Size Distribution (BSD)
Narrow BSD
For bubble columns with relatively low gas
volume fraction.
In homogeneous regime.
Wide BSD
As gas velocity and therefore, gas volume fraction
increases, a heterogeneous or churn-turbulent
regime sets in.
Gas Holdup
Gas holdup is one of the most important
operating parameters because it not only
governs phase fraction and gas-phase residence
time but is also crucial for mass transfer between
liquid and gas.

Gas holdup depends chiefly on gas flow rate,

but also to a great extent on the gas liquid
system involved.
Gas Holdup
Gas holdup is defined as the volume of the gas phase
divided by the total volume of the dispersion:

The relationship between gas holdup and gas velocity is

generally described by the proportionality:

In the homogeneous flow regime, n is close to unity. When

large bubbles are present, the exponent decreases, i.e., the
gas holdup increases less than proportionally to the gas
flow rate.
Interphase Forces
Drag force
Resultant slip velocity between two phases.

Virtual mass force

Arising from the inertia effect.

Basset force
Due to the development of a boundary layer around a
bubble.

Transversal lift force

Created by gradients in relative velocity across the bubble
diameter, may also act on the bubble.
Bubble Column Modeling
Mass transport Fluid
mixing properties

Fluid Reaction
Dynamics

Enhancement
Phase distribution
transfer resistance
Mass Limitation

Gas hold-up
transfer
Heat
Interfacial area
transfer
Bubble driving force
recirculation mixing

Fluid properties
Turbulence shear Bubble
stress terminal breakage
velocity
residence time
And
coalescence
CFD Modeling of Bubble Columns
Eulerian-Lagrangian approach
To simulate trajectories of individual bubbles
(bubble-scale phenomena)

Eulerian-Eulerian approach
To simulate the behavior of gas-liquid dispersions
with high gas volume fractions (e.g. to simulate
millions of bubbles over a long period of time)
Simulation Objective
Unsteady, asymmetric
To avoid imposing symmetry boundary conditions
Two-dimensional
Consider the whole domain
Three-dimensional
Use a body-fitted grid, or
Use modified conventional axis boundary
conditions to allow flow through the axis
When to use 2D Simulation?
Estimate liquid phase mixing and heat transfer
coefficient.

Predict time-averaged liquid velocity profiles and

corresponding time-averaged gas volume fraction
profiles.

Evaluate, qualitatively, the influence of different

reactor internals, such as drat tubes and radial
baffles, on liquid phase mixing in the reactor.
When to use 3D Simulation?
Capture details of flow structures.

Examine the role of unsteady structure on mixing.

Evaluate the size and location of draft tube on the

fluid dynamics of bubble column reactors.
Simulation Consideration
For column walls, which are impermeable to fluids,
standard wall boundary conditions may be specified.

Use symmetry when long-time-averaged flow

characteristics is interested.

When the interest is in capturing inherently unsteady

flow characteristics, which are not symmetrical, it is
essential to consider the whole column as the solution
domain.

Overall flow can be modeled using an axis-symmetric

assumption.
2D Bubble Column
Open to
surroundings
Overhead
pressure Liquid drops
Pto may
Gas-liquid Get entrained in
Interface p
overhead space
(may not be
flat)

Gas-liquid
Dispersion
(gas as dispersed
phase) Hydrostatic head
above the
sparger
P
0 Sparge
Plenu P r
m s
Only gas
phase
P0 = Ptop + Ga
Ph s
2D and 3D Instantaneous' Flow
Field

Descending First bubble Descending

flow region flow region flow region

Vortical
structures

2D 3D

Source: http://kramerslab.tn.tudelft.nl/research/topics/multiphaseflow.htm
Dispersion of Tracer in a Liquid
 Verification and Validation
Scale-down for experimental program.

Experiments are carried out in simple geometries and different

conditions than actual operating conditions.

Available information on the influence of pressure and temperature

should be used to select right model fluids for these experiments.

Detailed CFD models should be developed to simulate the fluid

dynamics of a small-scale experimental set-up under representative
conditions.

The computational model is then enhanced further until it leads to

adequately accurate simulations of the observed fluid dynamics.

The validated CFD model can then be used to extrapolate the

2-D CFD Simulation
 Experiments

Meandering
motions

Lateral movement of the bubble hose in the flat bubble column (gas flow rate 0.8
l/min)
Simulation and Experiment

t = 0.06s t = 0.16s t = 0.26 s t = 0.36 s

Simulation and experimental results of a bubble rising in liquid-solid fluidized

bed.
Fan et al. (1999)
References:
Becker, S., De Bie, H. and Sweeney, J., Dynamics flow behavior in bubble
columns, Chem. Eng. Sci., 54(12):4929-4935 (1999)
Fan, L.S., Yang, G.Q., Lee, D.J., Tsuchiya, K., and Lou, X., Some aspects
of high-pressure phenomena of bubbles in liquids and liquid-solid
suspensions, Chem. Eng. Sci., 54(12):4681-4709 (1999)