CFD Modeling of Three-phase Bubble Column: 2. Effect of Design Parameters

K. L. Wasewar, M. Anil and V. K. Agarwal

Abstract
The effect of design parameters on the flow pattern in a three-phase bubble column by means of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has been studied. The simulations were performed for air-water-glass beads in a bubble column of H = 0.6 m, D = 0.1 m and ds = 0.05 m to study the flow pattern. Eulerian–Eulerian three-phase simulations with k-ε turbulence for liquid phase were carried out using the commercial flow simulation software CFX-5.6, with a focus on characterizing the dynamics properties of gas liquid solid flows. The model has been validated using available experimental data and is in good agreement. Effect of design parameters such as: H/D ratio, sparger diameter, taperness on the flow pattern has been studied. The results presented are useful for understanding the dynamics of gas liquid solid flows in bubble column, and provide a basis for further development of CFD model for three-phase systems.

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Keywords
CFD, bubble column, three-phase reactor, design parameters