Prediction of the Gas Holdup in Industrial-Scale Bubble Columns and Slurry Bubble Column Reactors Using Back-Propagation Neural Networks

2005 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arsam Behkish ◽  
Romain Lemoine ◽  
Laurent Sehabiague ◽  
Rachid Oukaci ◽  
Badie I Morsi
Keyword(s):  
Neural Networks ◽  
Bubble Column ◽  
Back Propagation ◽  
Gas Holdup ◽  
Bubble Columns ◽  
Catalyst Loading ◽  
Gas Bubble ◽  
Gas Velocity ◽  
Bubble Column Reactors ◽  
Superficial Gas Velocity

The total gas holdup and the holdup of large gas bubbles were predicted in bubble column reactors (BCRs) and slurry bubble column rectors (SBCRs) using two Back-Propagation Neural Networks (BPNNs). Over 3880 and 1425 data points for gas holdup and Large gas bubble holdup respectively, covering wide ranges of gas-liquid-solid physical properties, operating variables, reactor geometry, and gas sparger type/size, were employed to develop, train and validate the two neural networks. The developed BPNN for gas holdup has a topology of [14,9-7,1] and was able to predict the trained and untrained data with an average absolute relative error (AARE), standard deviation, and regression coefficient (R2) of 16, 19 and 90%, respectively. The developed BPNN for large gas bubble holdup has a topology of [14,8,1] and was capable of predicting the trained and untrained data with AARE, standard deviation, and R2 of 10, 14 and 93%, respectively. The BPNNs were then used to predict the effects of pressure, superficial gas velocity, temperature and catalyst loading on the total syngas holdup for Low-Temperature Fischer-Tropsch (LTFT) synthesis carried out in a 5 m ID SBCR. The predicted total syngas holdup appeared to increase with increasing reactor pressure, superficial gas velocity and the number of orifices in the gas sparger. The predicted syngas holdup, however, was found to decrease with increasing catalyst loading and reactor temperature. Also, under similar LTFT operating conditions (P = 3 MPa, T = 513 K, CW = 30 and 50 wt%), the total syngas holdup values predicted for H2/CO ratio of 2:1 and cobalt-based catalyst are consistently lower than those obtained for H2/CO ratio of 1:1 and iron oxide catalyst in the superficial gas velocity range from 0.005 to 0.4 m/s. These predictions are in perfect agreement with reported literature trends, which underscore the reliability and validity of the developed BPNNs in predicting the total syngas holdup and the holdup of large gas bubbles in large-scale bubble columns and SBCRs operating under industrial conditions.

Effects of Chemical Reactions on the Local Hydrodynamics in Slurry Bubble Column Reactors Operating under Typical Fischer-Tropsch Process Conditions – Ii

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar M. Basha ◽  
Badie I. Morsi
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Reactions ◽  
Catalyst Concentration ◽  
Bubble Column ◽  
Pilot Scale ◽  
Catalyst Loading ◽  
Cfd Model ◽  
Gas Velocity ◽  
Cfd Simulations ◽  
Bubble Column Reactors ◽  
Superficial Gas Velocity

AbstractOur rigorously validated Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model (Basha et al. 2016) was previously used to predict the effects of gas sparger designs and internals configurations on the local hydrodynamics in a pilot-scale and a conceptual large-scale slurry bubble column reactors (SBCRs) (Basha and Morsi 2018). In this study, the CFD model was used to predict the effect of incorporating the F-T reaction kinetics on the local hydrodynamics in the pilot-scale (0.3-m ID, 3-m height) and the overall performance of the pilot-scale and an industrial-scale (5.8-m ID, 42-m height) SBCRS, both operating under F-T conditions with iron catalyst.In the pilot-scale SBCR, the CFD simulations were carried out with catalyst concentrations of 5, 10 and 15 vol% and three H2/Co ratios of 1, 1.5 and 2, at temperature of 443 K, pressure of 20.5 bar and a superficial gas velocity of 0.24 m/s. The predictions showed that the presence of chemical reactions decreased the gas holdup and the Sauter mean bubble diameters along the reactor height by an average of 15.4 % and 17.63 %, respectively and strengthened the liquid circulations near the reactor wall. The predictions also showed that the CO and H2conversions increased with increasing the catalyst concentration, and the pilot scale SBCR could produce a maximum of 1.87 tons/day of C5+products at a catalyst concentration of 15 vol%.In the commercial-scale SBCR, the CFD simulations were conducted at a catalyst loading of 10 vol% at a temperature of 528 K, pressure of 29 bar and four superficial gas velocities of 0.12, 0.24, 0.3 and 0.4 m/s. The calculations were completed, however, the contours of the local hydrodynamics were not extracted due to computational and memory limitations associated with generating graphics of such a large and complex reactor geometry. The predictions showed that the CO conversions were 48 %, 59 %, 58 % and 55 %; the H2conversions were 36 %, 51 %, 56 % and 54 % and the C5+products yields were are 275, 576, 627 and 654 ton/day at the superficial gas velocities of 0.12, 0.24, 0.3 and 0.4 m/s, respectively. When comparing the CFD model predictions with those of the 1-D empirical model developed by Sehabiague et al. (Sehabiague et al. 2015) at a superficial gas velocity of 0.24 m/s and catalyst loading of 10 %, the CFD model was found to predict lower CO conversion, higher H2conversion and higher C5+yield.

scholarly journals Effect of Surfactants on Gas Holdup in Shear-Thinning Fluids

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaobai Li ◽  
Siyuan Huang ◽  
Jungeng Fan
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Shear Thinning ◽  
Gas Holdup ◽  
Bubble Columns ◽  
Gas Velocity ◽  
Shear Thinning Fluids ◽  
Liquid Surface Tension ◽  
Superficial Gas Velocity

In this study, the gas holdup of bubble swarms in shear-thinning fluids was experimentally studied at superficial gas velocities ranging from 0.001 to 0.02 m·s−1. Carboxylmethyl cellulose (CMC) solutions of 0.2 wt%, 0.6 wt%, and 1.0 wt% with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as the surfactant were used as the power-law (liquid phase), and nitrogen was used as the gas phase. Effects of SDS concentration, rheological behavior, and physical properties of the liquid phase and superficial gas velocity on gas holdup were investigated. Results indicated that gas holdup increases with increasing superficial gas velocity and decreasing CMC concentration. Moreover, the addition of SDS in CMC solutions increased gas holdup, and the degree increased with the surfactant concentration. An empirical correlation was proposed for evaluating gas holdup as a function of liquid surface tension, density, effective viscosity, rheological property, superficial gas velocity, and geometric characteristics of bubble columns using the experimental data obtained for the different superficial gas velocities and CMC solution concentrations with different surfactant solutions. These proposed correlations reasonably fitted the experimental data obtained for gas holdup in this system.

CFD-PBM simulation of hydrodynamics of microbubble column with shear-thinning fluid

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi Zhang ◽  
Ping Zhu ◽  
Shuaichao Li ◽  
Wenyuan Fan ◽  
Jingyan Lian
Keyword(s):  
Kinetic Energy ◽  
Turbulent Kinetic Energy ◽  
Radial Direction ◽  
Liquid Velocity ◽  
Bubble Column ◽  
Gas Holdup ◽  
Gas Velocity ◽  
Gas Distributor ◽  
Superficial Gas Velocity ◽  
The Right

Abstract A numerical simulation was performed to study the hydrodynamics of micro-bubble swarm in bubble column with polyacrylamide (PAM) aqueous solution by using computational fluid dynamics coupled with population balance models (CFD-PBM). By considering rheological characteristics of fluid, this approach was able to accurately predict the features of bubble swarm, and validated by comparing with the experimental results. The gas holdup, turbulent kinetic energy and liquid velocity of bubble column have been elucidated by considering the influences of superficial gas velocity and gas distributor size respectively. The results show that with the rise of the superficial gas velocity, the gas holdup and its peak width increase significantly. Especially, the curve peak corresponding to high gas velocity tends to drift obviously toward the right side. Except for the occurrence of a smooth holdup peak at the column center under the condition of the moderate distributor size, the gas holdups for the small and large distributor sizes become flat in the radial direction respectively. The distribution of turbulent kinetic energy presents an increasingly asymmetrical feature in the radial direction and also its variation amplitude enhances obviously with the rise of gas velocity. The increase in gas distributor size can enhance markedly turbulent kinetic energy as well as its overall influenced width. At the low and moderate superficial gas velocity, the curves of the liquid velocity in radial direction present the Gaussian distributions, whereas the perfect distribution always is broken in the symmetry for high gas velocity. Both liquid velocities around the bubble column center and the ones near both column walls go up consistently with the gas distributor size, especially near the walls at the large distributor size condition.

Effect of Vibrating Sparger on Mass Transfer, Gas Holdup, and Bubble Size in a Bubble Column Reactor

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laleh Hadavand ◽  
Ali Fadavi
Keyword(s):  
Mass Transfer ◽  
Transfer Coefficient ◽  
Mass Transfer Coefficient ◽  
Vibration Frequency ◽  
Bubble Size ◽  
Bubble Column ◽  
Gas Holdup ◽  
Bubble Column Reactor ◽  
Gas Velocity ◽  
Superficial Gas Velocity

Abstract Bubble size has a key role in gas holdup and mass transfer in bubble column reactors. In order to have small and uniform bubbles, a new structure was designed; the reactor operates in two modes, with vibrating sparger and conventional bubble column in which sparger is fixed. In vibrating mode, the sparger vibrates gently during gas entering. The vibrating sparger performs like a paddle, resulting in a forced recirculation of gas–liquid inside the reactor; moreover, the bubble detachment is accelerated. The superficial gas velocity was between 0.003 and 0.013 ms− 1, and the vibration frequency was changed between 0 and 10.3 Hz. The bubble size was measured at three various positions of the reactor height by photographic method and using MATLAB 7.0.1 software. The mass transfer coefficient was determined by means of the dynamic gassing-out method. The results show that the bubbles were bigger in vibrating mode than those working without vibration. The bubble size decreases with increase in height from sparger. Gas holdup increased with increase in superficial gas velocity and vibration frequency. The effect of vibration increased the gas holdup with an average of 70% for all superficial gas velocities. Volumetric mass transfer coefficient was almost stable as vibration frequency increased.

Statistical Analysis of Experimental Variables on Gas Holdup in Novel Bubble Column Using Box-Behnken Design

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Dhanasekaran ◽  
T Karunanithi
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Velocity ◽  
Bubble Column ◽  
Perforated Plate ◽  
Water System ◽  
Gas Holdup ◽  
Bubble Columns ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Stirred Tank Reactors ◽  
Plate Spacing ◽  
Superficial Gas Velocity

A novel hybrid rotating and reciprocating perforated plate bubble column is designed indigenously. The novelty lies in combining the effects of stirred tank reactors, bubble columns and reciprocating plate columns using bevel gear arrangement. Box-Behnken experimental design in response surface methodology is chosen to predict the relationship between experimental variables and desired response of gas holdup. Agitation level, superficial gas velocity, superficial liquid velocity, perforation diameter and plate spacing are used as experimental variables. Air-water system is used in this investigation. The linear, square and interactive effects of experimental variables on gas holdup are studied. The F-test and P values were used to identify the experimental variables that significantly impact gas holdup.

scholarly journals The Effect of a Modified Downcomer on the Hydrodynamics in an External Loop Airlift Reactor

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel T. Jones ◽  
Theodore J. Heindel
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Velocity ◽  
Bubble Column ◽  
Gas Holdup ◽  
Area Ratio ◽  
Airlift Reactor ◽  
Open Area ◽  
Gas Velocity ◽  
External Loop ◽  
Superficial Gas Velocity ◽  
Superficial Liquid Velocity

Gas holdup and superficial liquid velocity in the downcomer and riser are studied for an external loop airlift reactor with an area ratio of 1:16. Two downcomer configurations are investigated consisting of the downcomer open or closed to the atmosphere. Experiments for these two configurations are carried out over a range of superficial gas velocities from UG = 0.5 to 20 cm/s using three aeration plates with open area ratios of 0.62, 0.99 and 2.22%. These results are compared to a bubble column operated with similar operating conditions. Experimental results show that the gas holdup in the riser does not vary significantly with a change in the downcomer configuration or bubble column operation, while a considerable variation is observed in the downcomer gas holdup. Gas holdup in both the riser and downcomer are found to increase with increasing superficial gas velocity. Test results also show that the maximum gas holdup for the three aerator plates is similar, but the gas holdup trends are different. The superficial liquid velocity is found to vary considerably for the two downcomer configurations. However, for both cases the superficial liquid velocity is a function of the superficial gas velocity and/or the flow condition in the downcomer. These observed variations are independent of the aerator plate open area ratio. When the downcomer vent is open to the atmosphere, the superficial liquid velocity is initially observed to increase with increasing superficial gas velocity until the onset of choking occurs in the downcomer. Increasing the superficial gas velocity beyond the onset of choking increases the effect of choking and decreases the superficial liquid velocity. Once maximum choking is reached, the superficial liquid velocity becomes independent of the superficial gas velocity. When the downcomer vent is closed to the atmosphere, the superficial liquid velocity is initially observed to decrease with increasing superficial gas velocity as choking in the downcomer is immediately present. Once maximum choking occurs, the superficial liquid velocity once again becomes independent of the superficial gas velocity.

scholarly journals Effects of EOR chemicals and superficial gas velocity on bubble size and gas holdup of a bubble column

2019 ◽  
Vol 74 ◽  
pp. 79
Author(s):  
Aloisio E. Orlando ◽  
Luiz F. Barca ◽  
Tania S. Klein ◽  
Ricardo A. Medronho
Keyword(s):  
Sodium Chloride ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Bubble Size ◽  
Produced Water ◽  
Bubble Column ◽  
Gas Holdup ◽  
Fluid Viscosity ◽  
Gas Velocity ◽  
Superficial Gas Velocity ◽  
Polymer Surfactant

Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) can boost oil extraction in offshore operations, however one of the main concerns regarding its application is how the efficiency of flotation units for treating produced water is affected. The present work thus focuses on investigating the impact of EOR chemicals on the physical properties of EOR effluents and how this can affect flotation performance parameters such as bubble size and gas holdup. Design of experiments has been used to assess the influence of polymer, surfactant and sodium chloride concentrations on bubble size and gas holdup of a laboratorial bubble column. The influence of superficial gas velocity has also been assessed together with chemicals concentrations, yet at low levels in order to avoid clusters, swarms and foam. The characterization of the synthetic effluent containing polymer, surfactant and sodium chloride has indicated that the fluid behaves as a non-Newtonian fluid, what makes separation processes in flotation cells challenging. Results showed that polymer concentration of 2000 mg/L can lead to significant increases in fluid viscosity, promote a growth of more than 40% in bubble size and only increases gas holdup when surfactant is present at high concentration. Therefore, polymers are expected to be detrimental to produced water treatment. Surfactants decrease both fluid surface tension and bubble size, increasing gas holdup. For the range studied, superficial gas velocity favors gas holdup and sodium chloride concentration seems to weakly influence bubble size and gas holdup. This work highlights the fact that changes in physical properties of produced water do modify bubble size distribution and gas holdup and this must therefore be taken into account when flotation-like systems are designed to deal with EOR effluents.

Effect of L/D Ratio on Phase Holdup and Bubble Dynamics in Slurry Bubble Column using Optical Fiber Probe Measurements

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 653-664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saba A. Gheni ◽  
Yasser I. Abdulaziz ◽  
Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan
Keyword(s):  
Optical Fiber ◽  
Bubble Dynamics ◽  
Bubble Column ◽  
Gas Holdup ◽  
Solid Loading ◽  
Gas Velocity ◽  
Fiber Probe ◽  
Optical Fiber Probe ◽  
Slurry Bubble Column ◽  
Superficial Gas Velocity

Abstract In this investigation, time average local gas holdup and bubble dynamic data were achieved for three L/D ratios of slurry bubble column. The examined ratios were 3, 4 and 5 in 18″ diameter slurry bubble column. Air-water-glass bead system was used with superficial gas velocity up to 0.24 m/s. The gas holdup was measured using four tips optical fiber probe technique. The results showed that the gas holdup increases almost linearly with the superficial gas velocity in 0.08 m/s and levels off with a further increase of velocity. A comparison of the present data with those reported for other slurry bubble column having diameters greater than 18″ and L/D higher than 5 was made. The results indicated a little effect of diameter on the gas holdup. A local, section-averaged gas holdup increases with increasing superficial gas velocity, while the effect of solid loading are less significant than that of the superficial gas velocity. Chaos analysis was used to analyze the slurry system.

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