Steady flow patterns in a bubble column with vertical inserts

The effect of vertical inserts and the liquid flow through a horizontal cross section of a bubble column on the liquid circulation is investigated.Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No.3, pp. 59–68, May–June, 1992.     

Three-dimensional measurement of void fraction in a bubble plume using statistic stereoscopic image processing

A method for measuring the instantaneous 3-D bubble distribution in bubbly flows is proposed by making use of stereoscopic image processing. The method applies to the case of higher rather than dilute void fractions, because it is based on the following two statistic-based procedures. The first process is to obtain the 2-D distribution of local void fraction from visualized images, where a correlation between the bubble shadow fraction and the projection void fraction is derived by introducing the new idea of overlapping probability of the bubble-images under various conditions. The second process is to reconstruct the 3-D distribution of the local void fraction. In this step, a logical method is proposed in order to obtain the bubble-existence probability function which simultaneously satisfies the two distributions of the two projection void fractions. The present method is applied for instantaneous measurement of the 3-D structure of a bubble plume. The measured results show its particular structure, such as the hollow distribution of the bubbles, and the local spiral structure, which cannot be captured by point-measurement experiments. Received: 5 January 1999/Accepted: 3 February 2000     

Fluid dynamics in a bubble column: New experiments and simulations

New high quality experimental data for the fluid dynamics of a bubble column are used to validate a baseline set of closure relations for bubbly flows. Development and validation of such closure relations is an important and active area of research, since they facilitate CFD simulations on industrial scales by means of the Euler–Euler two-fluid model. The new dataset features in particular large spatial and temporal resolution and high accuracy for a comprehensive set of observables and a range of different conditions. The closure model, which has been validated previously for a range of different conditions, is shown to agree with the new data quite well. In this way, the confidence in the model for predictive applications, such as optimization and scale-up of chemical engineering processes, is further enhanced.     

X-ray-based assessment of the three-dimensional velocity of the liquid phase in a bubble column

Information regarding the local liquid velocity in bubble columns is of great interest for research into its performance. Common optical methods fail in bubble flows that have large void fractions because of the different refraction indices of the liquid and gaseous phases. The new X-ray particle tracking velocimetry (XPTV) described here solves the problem by the use of X-rays instead of light. X-rays penetrate a gas/liquid flow in straight lines. XPTV enables us to measure the three-dimensional velocity of the liquid phase. This method was applied and validated in two bubble columns. The same method is also applicable to opaque liquids. Received: 14 August 2000/Accepted: 12 January 2001     

Experimental analysis of local void fractions measurements for boiling hydrocarbons in complex geometry

The present paper is part of a research program on two-phase flows and heat transfer studies in tube bundles. An experimental study was carried out to analyse the void fraction for vertical two-phase flows. Boiling across a horizontal tube bundle for three hydrocarbons (n-pentane, propane and iso-butane) under saturated conditions is investigated. The experiments were performed on a tube bundle with 45 plain copper tubes of 19.05 mm outside diameter in a staggered configuration with a pitch to diameter ratio of 1.33. An optical probe has been developed to determine the local void fraction at the minimum cross section between the tubes.     

Effects of particle size and concentration on bubble coalescence and froth formation in a slurry bubble column

A new approach for simulating the formation of a froth layer in a slurry bubble column is proposed. Froth is considered a separate phase, comprised of a mixture of gas, liquid, and solid. The simulation was carried out using commercial flow simulation software (FIRE v2014) for particle sizes of 60–150 μm at solid concentrations of 0–40 vol%, and superficial gas velocities of 0.02–0.034 m/s in a slurry bubble column with a hydraulic diameter of 0.2 m and height of 1.2 m. Modelling calculations were conducted using a Eulerian–Eulerian multiphase approach with k–ε turbulence. The population balance equations for bubble breakup, bubble coalescence rate, and the interfacial exchange of mass and momentum were included in the computational fluid dynamics code by writing subroutines in Fortran to track the number density of different bubble sizes. Flow structure, radial gas holdup, and Sauter mean bubble diameter distributions at different column heights were predicted in the pulp zone, while froth volume fraction and density were predicted in the froth zone. The model was validated using available experimental data, and the predicted and experimental results showed reasonable agreement. To demonstrate the effect of increasing solid concentration on the coalescence rate, a solid-effect multiplier in the coalescence efficiency equation was used. The solid-effect multiplier decreased with increasing slurry concentration, causing an increase in bubble coalescence efficiency. A slight decrease in the coalescence efficiency was also observed owing to increasing particle size, which led to a decrease in Sauter mean bubble diameter. The froth volume fraction increased with solid concentration. These results provide an improved understanding of the dynamics of slurry bubble reactors in the presence of hydrophilic particles.     

Estimating gas holdup via pressure difference measurements in a cocurrent bubble column

Estimating gas holdup via pressure difference measurements is a simple and low-cost non-invasive technique to study gas holdup in bubble columns. It is usually used in a manner where the wall shear stress effect is neglected, termed Method II in this paper. In cocurrent bubble columns, when the liquid velocity is high or the fluid is highly viscous, wall shear stress may be significant and Method II may result in substantial error. Directly including the wall shear stress term in the determination of gas holdup (Method I) requires knowledge of two-phase wall shear stress models and usually requires the solution of non-linear equations. A new gas holdup estimation method (Method III) via differential pressure measurements for cocurrent bubble columns is proposed in this paper. This method considers the wall shear stress influences on gas holdup values without calculating the wall shear stress. A detailed analysis shows that Method III always results in a smaller gas holdup error than Method II, and in many cases, the error is significantly smaller than that of Method II. The applicability of Method III in measuring gas holdup in a cocurrent air–water–fiber bubble column is examined. Analysis based on experimental data shows that with Method III, accurate gas holdup measurements can be obtained, while measurement error is significant when Method II is used for some operational conditions.     

Simulating bubble dynamics in a buoyant system

Multiphase flows are critical components of many physical systems; however, numerical models of multiphase flows with large parameter gradients can be challenging. Here, two different numerical methods, volume of fluid (VOF) and smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH), are used to model the buoyant rise of isolated gas bubbles through quiescent fluids for a range of Bond and Reynolds numbers. The VOF is an Eulerian grid–based method, whereas the SPH is Lagrangian and mesh free. Each method has unique strengths and weaknesses, and a comparison of the two approaches as applied to multiphase phenomena has not previously been performed. The VOF and SPH simulations are compared, verified, and validated. Results using two-dimensional VOF and SPH simulations are similar to each other and are able to reproduce numerical benchmarks and experimental results for sufficiently large Morton and Reynolds numbers. It is also shown that at low Reynolds numbers, the two methods, SPH and VOF, diverge in the transient regime of the bubble rise. Regimes that require simulations capable of representing three-dimensional drag are identified as well as regimes in which results from VOF and SPH diverge.     

An approach for the coupled simulation of machining processes using multibody system and smoothed particle hydrodynamics algorithms

The prediction accuracy of a simulation method is limited by its theoretical background. This fact can lead to disadvantages regarding the simulation quality when investigating systems of high complexity, e.g. containing components showing a fairly different behavior. To overcome this limitation, co-simulation approaches are used more and more, combining the advantages of different simulation disciplines. That is why we propose a new strategy for the dynamic simulation of cutting processes. The method couples Lagrangian particle methods, such as the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method, and multibody system (MBS) tools using co-simulations. We demonstrate the capability of the new approach by providing simulation results of an orthogonal cutting process and comparing them with experimental data.     

Experimental study of single bubble motion in a liquid metal column exposed to a DC magnetic field

The motion of single Argon bubbles rising in the eutectic alloy GaInSn under the influence of a DC longitudinal magnetic field (parallel to the direction of bubble motion) was examined. The magnetic field strength was varied up to 0.3 T corresponding to a magnetic interaction parameter N (which measures the ratio of electromagnetic forces to inertial forces) slightly greater than 1. The liquid metal was at rest in a cylindrical container. Bubble and liquid velocities were measured using ultrasound Doppler velocimetry (UDV). The measured bubble terminal velocity showed oscillations indicating a zigzag movement of ellipsoidal bubbles. For small bubbles (d_e ⩽ 4.6 mm) an increase of the drag coefficient with increasing magnetic interaction parameter N was observed, whereas for larger bubbles (d_e ⩾ 5.4 mm) the application of the magnetic field reduces the drag coefficient. The measurements revealed a distinct electromagnetic damping of the bubble induced liquid velocity leading to more rectilinear bubble trajectories when the magnetic field is applied. Moreover, significant modifications of the bubble wake structure were observed. Raising of the magnetic field strength caused an enlargement of the eddies in the wake. The Strouhal number decreases with increasing magnetic interaction parameter N.     

X-ray based measurements of the local solid phase content in a three-phase flow of a bubble column: statistical significance

Information regarding the flow properties in bubble columns with a three-phase flow is of great interest for research into its performance, as well as for the validation of computer models. In an earlier paper, we proposed an X-ray based particle tracking velocimetry (PTV), called XPTV. This method allows not only the measurement of the velocities of both solid and fluid phases in a three-phase flow, but also the assessment of the time-averaged local solid phase content. In this paper, we are concerned with the statistical significance of the obtained measurements.     

On the interaction of a bubble and a vortex ring at high Reynolds numbers

The interaction of a bubble and a vortex ring at high Reynolds numbers could be considered a simplified model of the interaction of a bubble and a turbulent structure of similar size, with the possible subsequent bubble breakup. In this paper, some results from axisymmetric and 3D simulations of the interaction of a bubble and a vortex ring at high Reynolds numbers are presented for different values of the Weber number and vortex ring sizes. Some bubble breakup patterns that could not be obtained by previous axisymmetric boundary integral models are shown. Results obtained are discussed into the framework of the classical Kolgomorov–Hinze theory on bubble breakup and some recent experimental investigations.     

Influence of vertical heat exchanger tubes,their arrangement and the column diameter on the hydrodynamics in a gas–solid bubbling fluidized bed

The hydrodynamic behavior of a cold-flow gas–solid fluidized bed with an inner diameter of 22 cm is investigated by means of an ultra-fast X-ray tomographic setup. In the case of an exothermal reaction, heat exchanger tubes are required to remove the reaction heat out of the bubbling fluidized bed reactor. For the examined cold-flow model, the heat exchanger tubes are replaced by vertical internals that serve as placeholder. The influence of vertical internals on the bubble properties for different spatial configurations (square and circular arrangements) is investigated in addition to measurements without internals. Furthermore, the hydrodynamic results of the Ø 22 cm column are compared with an available data set which is based on measurements that were conducted in a column with an inner diameter of 14 cm. The objective of this paper is to provide measurement data for the scale-up process as well as for various computer models simulating a bubbling fluidized bed with vertical internals. It was found that the scale-up process from pilot plants to an industrial scale may be simplified if vertical internals are present, independently of the geometric arrangement.     

Unstable waves at the interface of a diamagnetic liquid column contained in a magnetic fluid

A magnetically held pipeless fluid transporting system is a potentially useful noncontact technique in science and technology. Keeping a stable interface between the diamagnetic liquid column and the surrounding magnetic fluid is essential. The present study gives an experimental study on the unstable interfacial wave leading to discontinuity of a liquid column maintained in a magnetic fluid by a non-uniform magnetic field. The experiments were carried out by setting two magnetic north poles in opposite position to produce the magnetic field, using water to form the diamagnetic liquid column, and a diluted kerosene-base magnetic fluid as the surrounding fluid. Unstable interfacial waves were measured. It was found that the magnetic pressure acting on the interface can stabilise the interface. The experimental results agree well with the theoretical stability condition derived from a two-fluids model.     

Visualization and measurements of void fraction in a gas-molten tin multiphase system by X-ray absorption

 A technique has been developed to measure void fraction using X-rays in a 10 cm thick pool of molten tin with gas injection at various flow rates. Visualization of the multiphase mixture using high energy X-rays can be performed at imaging rates of 220 fps with 256×256 pixel resolution or at 30 fps with 480×1128 pixel resolution. The images are subsequently processed to obtain two dimensional distributions of the chordal average void fraction in the mixture. The estimated relative uncertainty of the measurement is discussed in detail and shown to be of the order of 10% of the reported value. Received: 6 June 1997/Accepted: 2 December 1997     

An experimental platform for creating white dwarf photospheres in the laboratory

We present an experimental platform for measuring hydrogen Balmer emission and absorption line profiles for plasmas with white dwarf (WD) photospheric conditions (T_e ～1 eV, n_e ～10¹⁷ cm^?3). These profiles will be used to benchmark WD atmosphere models, which, used with the spectroscopic method, are responsible for determining fundamental parameters (e.g., effective temperature, mass) for tens of thousands of WDs. Our experiment, performed at the Z Pulsed Power Facility at Sandia National Laboratories, uses the large amount of X-rays generated from a z-pinch dynamic hohlraum to drive plasma formation in a gas cell. The platform is unique compared to past hydrogen line profile experiments in that the plasma is radiation-driven. This decouples the heating source from the plasma to be studied in the sense that the radiation temperature causing the photoionization is independent of the initial conditions of the gas. For the first time we measure hydrogen Balmer lines in absorption at these conditions in the laboratory for the purpose of benchmarking Stark-broadened line shapes. The platform can be used to study other plasma species and to explore non-LTE, time-dependent collisional-radiative atomic kinetics.     

Steam-water void fraction for vertical upflow in a 73.9 mm pipe

Forced flow and natural circulation void fraction data are presented for steam-water upflow in a 73.9 mm pipe. Nondevelopment apparent in some of the data is due to bubble retardation at a nearby upstream bend. Through the use of suitable approximations, a previous analysis of distributed and annular flow voidage has provided a simple but accurate predictive method for the “developed flow” component of the data.     

Critical stretch for formation of a cylindrical void in a compressible hyperelastic material

Formation of a cylindrical void in an infinitely long compressible hyperelastic cylinder under axial and radial stretches is examined. The cavitation phenomenon is viewed here as a bifurcation of a solution with a cavity from the homogeneously deformed configuration, taking place when the applied radial stretch reaches a certain critical value. This amounts to modeling the underlying phenomenon as a kind of elastic instability. A formulation of shooting-method type is presented to derive an equation which gives the critical radial stretch for a prescribed axial stretch. For a special class of hyperelastic solids, called modified Blatz-Ko material, the obtained equation leads to an explicit expression for the critical stretches and stresses. Some analytical as well as numerical calculations are carried out to explicitly obtain the critical values for cavitation. The results are summarized in the form of cavitation curves in the two-dimensional space of axial and radial stretches or stresses. Influence of the axial stretch on the critical radial stretch is discussed. Throughout the paper, the corresponding results for a spherically symmetric void formation are referred to when appropriate and compared with the cylindrical case of the present interest. It is then indicated that in the state of equitriaxial stretch, cavitation into a cylindrical shape is likely to occur at lower stretch than into a spherical one.