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Hydrodynamics of Bubble Columns with Application to Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis - 1988

Raphael, Matheo Lue 

Texas A & M University

Cover Page

Abstract

 Table of Contents 164kb

Section 1
326kb		 I Introduction 1
II Literature Review 3
 

A

 Gas Flow in Bubble Columns 3

B

 Fischer-Tropsch Derived Waxes 3
 

1

 Effect of Temperature 5

2

 Effect of Solids 7

3

 Effect of Pressure and Gas Type 7

4

 Effect of Superficial Gas Velocity on Flow Regimes 8

5

 Effect of Column Diameter 9

6

 Effect of Liquid Medium 10

7

 Effect of Static Liquid Height 10

8

 Effect of Distributor Type 11

C

 Non-Wax Liquid Mediums 12

D

 Thesis Objectives and Motivation 16
Section 2
507kb		 III Experiment 18
 

A

 Experimental Apparatus 18
 

1

 Apparatus Description 18

2

 Operation 21

B

 Measurements of Average Gas Hold-up 21
 

1

 Hot-Flow Runs 22

2

 Cold-Flow Runs 23

C

 Measurements of Physical Properties 23
 

1

 Fischer Tropsch Derived Waxes 23

2

 Aqueous Mixtures 33

D

 Effects of Butanol and CMC on Physical Properties 37
Section 3
995kb		 IV Average Gas Hold Up 42
 

A

 Fischer-Tropsch Derived Waxes 42
 

1

 Reproducibility and Effect of Operating Procedure 42

2

 Effect of Temperature 45

3

 Effect of Column Diameter 51

4

 Effect of Distributor Type 53

B

 Pure Liquids 56
 

1

 Effect of Start-up Procedure 67

2

 Effect of Column Diameter 58

3

 Effect of Distributor Type 61

4

 Effect of Liquid Medium 61

C

 Aqueous Solutions of n-Butanol 65
 

1

 Effect of n-Butanol Concentration 65

2

 Effect of Start-up Procedure 67

3

 Effect of Column Diameter 67

4

 Effect of Distributor Type 70

5

 Comparison With Other Foaming Mediums 75

D

 Aqueous Solutions of n-Butanol With CMC 75
 

1

 Effect of CMC Concentration 75

2

 Effect of Column Diameter 80

3

 Effect of Distributor Type 83

4

 Effect of Viscosity on Gas Hold-up 85
Section 4
575kb		 V Bubble Dynamics 90
 

A

 Data Acquisition 90

B

 Procedure for Obtaining Bubble Sizes 92
 

1

 Fischer Tropsch Derived Waxes 93

2

 Pure Liquids 94

3

 Aqueous Solutions of Butanol With CMC 94
VI Sauter Mean Bubble Diameter 101
 

A

 FT Derived Waxes 101
 

1

 Effect of Operating Temperature 101

2

 Effect of Distributor Type 103

3

 Effect of Wax Type 103

B

 Pure Liquids 106
 

1

 Effect of Distributor Type 106

C

 Aqueous Solutions of n-Butanol 106
 

1

 Effect of Distributor Type 106

D

 Aqueous Solutions of n-Butanol With CMC 110
 

1

 Effect of Distributor Type 110

2

 Effect of Column Diameter 112

3

 Effect of Physical Properties 114
Section 5
580kb		 VII Correlations 116
 

A

 FT Derived Waxes 116
 

1

 Average Gas Hold-up 116

2

 Specific Gas-Liquid Interfacial Area 118

B

 Pure Liquids 121
 

1

 Average Gas Hold-up 121

2

 Specific Gas-Liquid Interfacial Area 125

C

 Aqueous Solutions of n-Butanol 129
 

1

 Average Gas Hold-up 129

2

 Specific Gas-Liquid Interfacial Area 132

D

 Aqueous Solutions of n-Butanol With CMC 134
 

1

 Average Gas Hold-up 134
Section 6
765kb		 VIII Conclusions and Recommendations 141
Notations 141
Literature Cited 144
Appendices
 

A

 Summary of Runs with FT Derived Waxes  150
Section 7
812kb

B

 Summary of DGD Results for Runs with FT Derived Waxes  173

C

 Summary of Runs with Non-Wax Liquid Mediums  178

D

 Summary of DGD Results for Runs With Non-Wax Liquid Mediums  193

E

 Procedures for Measuring Physical Properties of Non-Wax Liquid Mediums  206

F

 Dynamic Gas Disengagement Technique 213

Vita

 227