Liquid Dispersion and Gas‐Liquid Mass Transfer in Three‐Phase Inverse Fluidized Beds

Abstract

Abstract Axial dispersion of continuous liquid phase and gas‐liquid mass transfer characteristics were investigated in a three‐phase inverse fluidized bed with viscous liquid medium. The axial dispersion coefficient of liquid phase( D z ) increased with increasing gas( U G ) or liquid velocity( U L ), but decreased with an increase in the viscosity of continuous liquid medium(µ L ). The volumetric gas‐liquid mass transfer coefficient( k L a ) increased with increasing U G but decreased with increasing µ L , while it did not change considerably with increasing U L : The effects of U G were dominant in three phase inverse fluidized beds. In the beds of polyethylene particle(relatively heavier particle), the values of D z and k L a exhibited higher values than those in the beds of polypropylene particles(lighter particle). The values of D z and k L a were well correlated in terms of operating variables.