Computational fluid dynamics simulation of the homogeneous flow regime in a large-diameter bubble column

Bubble column reactors are used in many industrial applications, but their characterisation at both global and local scales has always been very complex. In this work, a CFD Eulerian multi-fluid approach is developed to describe the hydrodynamics of large-scale bubble columns, focusing on the homogeneous flow regime. Transient 3-D simulations have been performed employing a commercial code (ANSYS Fluent 2023 R2), considering a fixed mono and poly-dispersed bubble size distribution for modelling the dispersed gas phase. The results have been critically analyzed, and the discrepancies between the numerical and experimental results have been commented on, setting the stage for future improvements.