Bubble size, fluidization

Classical bubbles do not exist in the vigorously bubbling, or turbulent fluidization regimes. Rather, bubbles coalesce constantly, and the bed can be treated as a pseudohomogenous reactor. Small bubble size improves heat transfer and conversion, as shown in Figure 5b. Increasing fines levels beyond 30—40% tends to lower heat transfer and conversion as the powder moves into Group C. 

Bubble size control is achieved by controlling particle size distribution or by increasing gas velocity. The data as to whether internal baffles also lower bubble size are contradictory. (Internals are commonly used in fluidized beds for heat exchange, control of soflds hackmixing, and other purposes.)... 

Bubbles can grow to on the order of a meter in diameter in Group B powders in large beds. The maximum stable bubble size is limited by the size of the vessel or the stabiUty of the bubble itself. In large fluidized beds, the limit to bubble growth occurs when the roof of the bubble becomes unstable and the bubble spHts. EmpidcaHy, it has been found that the maximum stable bubble size may be calculated for Group A particles from... 

The bubble model (Kunii and Levenspiel, Fluidization Engineering, Wiley, New York, 1969 Fig. 17-14) assumes constant-sized bubbles (effective bubble size d ) rising through the suspension phase. Gas is transferred from the bubble void to the mantle and wake at... 

This equation has been experimentally verified in liquids, and Figure 2 shows that it applies equally well for fluidized solids, provided that G is taken as the flow rate in excess of minimum fluidization requirements. In most practical fluidized beds, bubbles coalesce or break up after formation, but this equation nevertheless gives a useful starting point estimate of bubble size. 

The bubble size at formation varied with particle characteristics. It was further observed that the bubble size decreased with increasing fluidization intensity (i.e., with increasing liquid velocity). The rate of coalescence likewise decreased with increasing fluidization intensity the net rate of coalescence had a positive value at distances from 1 to 2 ft above the orifice, whereas at larger distances from the orifice the rate approached zero. The bubble rise-velocity increased steadily with bubble size in a manner similar to that observed for viscous fluids, but different to that observed for water. An attempt was made to explain the dependence of the rate of coalescence on fluidization intensity in terms of a relatively high viscosity of the liquid fluidized bed. 

Variation of bubble size, bubble frequency, and the standard deviation of -APbed with variation of Ug in the conical fluidized beds with a uniform gas distributor (Fopen = 3.87 %) is shown in Fig. 7. As can be seen, the standard deviation of - APbed and the bubble size increase with increasing Ug in the fully fluidized region. However, bubble frequency remains unchanged with variation of Ug that may imply the bubble size will increase as much as the volumetric gas flow increases. As shown, the bubble size dramatically increases with increasing Ug. Also, it is confirmed that the increase of standard deviation of -APbed is closely related to bubble size. 

Temperature and pressure also interact with particle size to affect bubble size and frequency in fluidized beds. Information on the effect of temperature on bubble size in the literature is somewhat inconsistent. However, the information that does exist suggests that bubble size decreases slightly with temperature for Group A materials (Geldart and... 

Bubble Dynamics. To adequately describe the jet, the bubble size generated by the jet needs to be studied. A substantial amount of gas leaks from the bubble, to the emulsion phase during bubble formation stage, particularly when the bed is less than minimally fluidized. A model developed on the basis of this mechanism predicted the experimental bubble diameter well when the experimental bubble frequency was used as an input. The experimentally observed bubble frequency is smaller by a factor of 3 to 5 than that calculated from the Davidson and Harrison model (1963), which assumed no net gas interchange between the bubble and the emulsion phase. This discrepancy is due primarily to the extensive bubble coalescence above the jet nozzle and the assumption that no gas leaks from the bubble phase. 

Gas-Liquid Mass Transfer. Gas-liquid mass transfer within the three-phase fluidized bed bioreactor is dependent on the interfacial area available for mass transfer, a the gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient, kx, and the driving force that results from the concentration difference between the bulk liquid and the bulk gas. The latter can be easily controlled by varying the inlet gas concentration. Because estimations of the interfacial area available for mass transfer depends on somewhat challenging measurements of bubble size and bubble size distribution, much of the research on increasing mass transfer rates has concentrated on increasing the overall mass transfer coefficient, kxa, though several studies look at the influence of various process conditions on the individual parameters. Typical values of kxa reported in the literature are listed in Table 19. 

The rise velocity of bubbles is another important parameter in fluidized-bed models, but it can be related to bubble size (and bed diameter, D). For a single bubble, the rise... 

Bubbles, in fluidized beds, 11 805-806 Bubble size control, 11 805 in fluidized beds, 11 819, 821 Bubble size distribution, 12 14 in foams, 12 11 Bubble tear-offs, 20 229 Bubble tray absorbers, 1 27, 29 design, 1 83-86 Bubble-tube reactor, 25 194 Bubble tube viscometer, 21 739 Bubble two-phase theory of fluidization, 11 805-806... 

Figure 20.10 Performance of a fluidized bed as a function of bubble size, as determined by Eq. 21. Compare with the plug flow and mixed flow predictions.

Since the bubble size is the one quantity which governs all the rate quantifies with the exception of we can plot the performance of a fluidized bed as a function of as shown in Fig. 20.10. Note that large gives poor performance because of extensive bypassing of bubble gas, and that the performance of the bed can drop considerably below mixed flow. 

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