Hydrodynamics of pulsing flow in three-phase chemical reactors

In the present study verification is carried out of mathematical criteria t hat define the boundary between two hydrodynamic regimes: the gas continuou s flow (GCF) regime and the pulsing flow (PF) regime. Attention is focused on the criterion derived using the model of K. Grosser, R.G. Carbonell and S. Sundaresan, AIChE J., 34 (1988) 1850-1860, and the parametric sensitivit y of this criterion is analysed. Next, based on the measured values of the gas pressure drop in a reactor the verification of some selected parameters is carried out by fitting the theoretical and experimental boundary lines separating the GCF and PF regimes. Experimental results are also presented concerning the determination of parameters characterising the pulsing flow through the bed, namely the frequency of pulsations and the pulse structure . These parameters were determined for the system nitrogen-water, and also for liquids differing from water in their physicochemical properties. (C) 1 999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.