Investigations of the Gas-Liquid Multiphase System Involving Macro-Instability in a Baffled Stirred Tank Reactor

Bubble Sauter Mean Diameter SMD in gas-liquid multiphase system is of particular interest and the quantification of gas characteristics is still a challenge today. In this contribution, multiphase Computational Fluid Dynamic CFD simulations are combined with Population Balance Model PBM to investigate the bubble SMD in baffled stirred tank reactor STR. Hereby, special attention is given to the phenomenon known as the fluid macro-instability MI, which is a large-scale low-frequency fluid velocity variation in baffled STRs, since the fluid MIs have a dominating influence on the bubble breakage and coalescence processes. The simulations, regarding the fluid velocity, are validated with Laser Doppler Anemometry LDA experiments, in which the instant radial velocity is analyzed through Fast Fourier Transform FFT spectrum. The frequency peaks of the fluid MIs are found both in the simulation and in the experiment with a high degree of accuracy. After the validation, quantitative predictions of overall bubble SMD with and without MIs are carried out. Due to the accurate prediction of the fluid field, the influence of the fluid MI to bubble SMD is presented. This result provides more adequate information for engineers working in the field of estimating bubble SMDs in baffled STRs.