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Flow pattern and pressure drop in gas-liquid cocurrent downflow through packed beds

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Abstract

Correlations for pressure drop in gas-liquid cocurrent downflow through packed beds are presented, taking into cognizance the flow pattern of the phases and covering a wide range in experimental conditions. Criteria for flow regime discrimination are presented separately for low porosity and for high porosity packings.

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Abbreviations

dp :

effective particle diameter, m

F :

(2ΔP lg /ϱ l V 2 l ) (dp/h), friction factor (−)

g :

acceleration due to gravity, ms−2

G:

superficial mass velocity of gas, Kgm−2s

h :

height of the test section, m

L :

superficial mass velocity of liquid, Kgm−2s

ΔP :

pressure drop, N m−2

V :

superficial velocity of the phase, m s−1

ɛ :

bed porosity (-)

η :

(1-ɛ)2/ɛ3

μ :

viscosity, Kg m−1 s−1

ϱ :

density, Kgm−3

σ l :

surface tension, Kgs−2

δ :

standard deviation

M :

gμ 4 l /ρ l σ 3 l , Morton number

Re l :

dpV1 ρ1/μ1, Reynolds number for liquid

Re g :

dpV g ρ g /μ g , Reynolds number for gas

We l :

L2dp/ρ l , Weber number for liquid

We g :

G2dp/ρ g , Weber number for gas

Ø :

\(\sqrt {({{\Delta p_{lg} } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\Delta p_{lg} } {\Delta p}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\Delta p}})}\) Lockhart-Martinelli parameter

X :

\(\sqrt {({{\Delta p_l } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\Delta p_l } {\Delta p}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\Delta p}}_g )}\) Lockhart-Martinelli parameter

ψ :

(σω/σ l )[(μ l /μω)(ρω/ρ l )2]1/3, flow parameter

λ :

[(ρ g /ρair)(ρ l /ρω)]1/2, flow parameter

g :

gas phase

l :

liquid phase

lg :

two phase

w :

water

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, 600036, Madras, India

    J. Shiny & Y. B. G. Varma

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  1. J. Shiny
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Shiny, J., Varma, Y.B.G. Flow pattern and pressure drop in gas-liquid cocurrent downflow through packed beds. Bioprocess Engineering 12, 215–220 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01767470

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