VISUALIZATION OF FLOW CHARACTERISTICS IN A 2-D BUBBLE COLUMN AND 3-PHASE FLUIDIZED-BED

Macroscopic flow structures of gas-liquid and gas-liquid-solid fluidization systems are studied through flow visualization using a two-dimensional column under various operating conditions. The gas distributor in the column comprises multiple injectors which are individually regulated to generate desired gas flow rates, bubble injection frequencies, and bubble sizes. Colored bed particles and neutrally buoyant particles as solid and liquid tracers, respectively, are used for flow visualization through video photography. In a gas-liquid system operated under liquid-batch conditions, bubble streams injected near both sidewalls are observed to migrate toward bed vertical axis, and vortices appear along the sidewalls when gas velocity exceeds 4-6 mm/s. A considerable amount of liquid descends along the sidewalls in a vortical flow pattern. The gross circulation pattern occurring at high gas velocities is associated closely with induced liquid or liquid-solid flows resulting from rising bubbles and bubble wakes. When the gross circulation occurs, four flow regions can be distinguished. The formation of and mechanism for gross circulations can be interpreted in part based on two simplified flow conditions involving single bubbles rising in a stationary liquid and single chains of bubbles injected in a batch liquid. The effects of particle size, inlet liquid velocity and gas flow distribution on the macroscopic flow structure are also examined.