Bubble column Units

This bubble column has been made of Plexiglass and is mainly used to study the hydrodynamic aspects of bubble columns operating with different liquid phases ranging from low-viscous Newtonian liquids to viscoelastic liquids with different rheological properties. The gas phase is oil-free compressed air and is injected into the column through a perforated plate distributor with 94 holes that are 1mm in diameter in order to provide uniform distribution. The superficial gas velocity varies from very low velocities up to 0.30 (m/s) covering both homogeneous and heterogeneous flow regimes.

The high-pressure/high-temperature stainless steel bubble column reactor is mainly used to investigate the hydrodynamic aspects of bubble columns at high-pressure and/or high-temperature operating conditions that are the most relevant operating conditions in industrial plants. The air is compressed up to 3 MPa by using two compressors and is stored in two high-pressure gas cylinders. The column can be heated up to 300 °C by using two different heating elements. The gas phase is fed into the bottom of the column via a perforated plate gas distributor. The whole system is controlled automatically by a PLC control unit.