Abstract
Drag reduction is one of the most important techniques for reducing energy consumption in a packed bed contactor. The present work involves an experimental investigation on flow regime transition for air-water system with and without drag reducing agent (DRA), two-phase pressure drop, friction factor and drag reduction using xanthan gum as DRA. Drag reduction was quantified from the two-phase pressure drop data. Based on the present observations it was found that the percentage drag reduction increases with an increase in the concentration of DRA and it is only effective in the range of 300 ppm to 800 ppm. The experimental results indicate that a maximum of 80% drag reduction was achievable using xanthan gum (800 ppm) as DRA. Furthermore, the experimental data were validated with the available literature correlations.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
B.A. Toms, Process International Rheological Congress II & III, 135–141, 47–9, 51–2 (1949).
V. T. Truong, Drag reduction technologies, DSTO Aeronautical and Maritime Research Laboratory, Australia (2001).
J. L. Lumley, Physics Fluids., 20(10), 64 (1977).
J. L. Lumley, Ann. Rev. Fluid Mechanics, 1, 367 (1969).
M. R. Hanna, W. Kozicki and C. Tiu, Chem. Eng. J., 13, 93 (1977).
A. Al-Sarkhi, E. Abu-Nada and M. Batayneh, Advances in Fluid Mechanics WIT Transactions on Engineering Sciences, 52, 1743 (2006).
A. Al-Sarkhi and A. Soleimani, European Federation Chem. Eng., 1583 (2004).
H. Choi, P. Moin and J. Kim, J. Fluid Mechanics, 262, 75 (1994).
P. E. JagadeeshBabu, Ph.D. Thesis, A.C. Tech., Anna University (2005).
E. Trivizadakis, D. Giakoumakis and A. J. Karabelas, Chem. Eng. Sci., 61, 5534 (2006).
J. C. Charpentier and M. Favier, AIChE J., 21(6), 1213 (1975).
B. I. Morsi, N. Midous and J. C. Charpentier, AIChE J., 24(2), 357 (1978).
D.R. Oliver and S. I. Bakhtiyarov, J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 12 113 (1983).
K. Rupesh Reddy and B. Jyeshtharaj Joshi, Chem. Eng. Res. Design, 86(5), 444 (2008).
M. P Tulin, Proceedings of the 3 rd International Conference on Drag Reduction (1984).
W.G. Tiederman, T. S. Luchik and D.G. Bogard, J. Fluid Mechanics, 156, 419 (1985).
D. Mowla and A. Naderi, Chem. Eng. Sci., 61, 1549 (2006).
A. E. Dukler and M.G. Hubbard, Ind. Chem. Fundam., 14(4), 337 (1975).
L. Jourdan, Y. Knapp, F. Oliver and J. P. Guibergia, J. Mechanics Fluids, 17, 105 (1998).
J.W. Hoyt, Encyclope dia of polymer science and engineering, 5, Wiley, New York, 129 (1986).
J.W. Hoyt, ASME J. Basic Eng., 94, 258 (1972).
D. Bonn, Y. Amarouchene, C. Wagner, S. Douady and O. Cadot, J. Physics, 17, 1195 (2005).
T. Min, J.Y. Yoo, H. Choi and D.D. Joseph, J. Fluid Mechanics, 486, 213 (2003).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Regupathi, I., JagadeeshBabu, P.E., Chitra, M. et al. Drag reduction in co-current down flow packed column using xanthan gum. Korean J. Chem. Eng. 27, 1205–1212 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-010-0181-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-010-0181-z