Effect of internal on the hydrodynamics in external-loop airlift reactors

Small bubbles and flow uniformity are important for gas–liquid and gas–liquid–solid multiphase reactors. A reactor internal was designed and installed in an external-loop airlift reactor (EL-ALR) to enhance bubble breakup and flow redistribution and improve reactor performance. Hydrodynamic parameters, including local gas holdup, bubble rise velocity, bubble Sauter diameter and liquid velocity were measured. A radial maldistribution index was introduced to describe radial non-uniformity in the hydrodynamic parameters. The influence of the internal on this index was studied. Experimental results show that The effect of the internal is to make the radial profiles of the gas holdup, bubble rise velocity and liquid velocity radially uniform. The bubble Sauter diameter decreases and the bubble size distribution is narrower. With increasing distance away from the internal, the radial profiles change back to be similar to those before contact with it. The internal improves the flow behavior up to a distance of 1.4 m.