Properties of recirculating turbulent two phase flow in gas bubble columns

Abstract

Abstract The equation of motion for the two phase flow within a bubble column, operated within the recirculation flow regime, has been solved, and the profile of liquid flow has been determined. Nicklin's relation for the bubble flow regime has been extended to the recirculation flow regime. Data analysis shows that the mean slip velocity between bubble and liquid is approximately constant and that the kinematic turbulent viscosity increases rapidly with increasing diameter of the column. These observations lead to the conclusion that scale‐up has but little influence upon the mean gas holdup.