Multiphase numerical modeling of a pilot-scale bubble column with a fixed poly-dispersity approach

A three-dimensional numerical study of air/water bubbly flow in a cylindrical large-scale bubble column is performed using Euler-Euler approach. The main objective is to investigate the influence of different boundary conditions such as bubble size distribution (BSD), polydisperse effects (mono and bi-dispersed approach), lift force modelling and flow rate distribution at sparger using a computationally affordable approach. In the bi-dispersed approach the population of bubbles are divided into two groups of small and large bubbles and a mean diameter is considered for each group. The division is based on the critical bubble diameter, for which the lift coefficient changes its sign from positive to negative. For air/water system Tomiyama lift coefficient model is widely used and the critical bubble diameter is equal to 5.8 mm. An alternative critical bubble diameter and lift force coefficient correlation is used in this study and compared with the well-known Tomiyama model. The numerical predictions are compared against the experimental data and the effect of different conditions is assessed on basis of comparison of axial gas fraction (local holdup) and global holdup. Better predictions are obtained by taking into account polydisperse flow with new critical bubble diameter and new lift coefficient model. Also, it was found that mass flow-rate distribution at the sparger does not affect numerical results for global and local holdup, however a different flow pattern is observed near the sparger region.