Bubble Behavior in a Slurry Bubble Column Reactor Model

Local axial and radial gas-phase characteristic measurements were made at steady-state conditions in a 0.108-m-i.d. slurry bubble column apparatus with a two-point electrical conductivity probe. The gas, solid, and liquid phases used in this study were nitrogen, glass beads, and either water, silicone oil, ethylene glycol, or aqueous ethanol, respectively. Two densities of solids were used (2420 or 3990 kg/m3) and three narrow particle size fractions having particle sizes of 48.5 µm, 96.5 µm, and 194 µm. Engineering parameters obtained from the gas-phase measurements include bubble area per unit volume of column and bubble diameter distribution.