Mass transfer enhancement and hydrodynamic performance with wire mesh coupling solid particles in bubble column reactor

It is of vital significance to investigate mass transfer enhancements for chemical engineering processes.This work focuses on investigating the coupling influence of embedding wire mesh and adding solid particles on bubble motion and gas-liquid mass transfer process in a bubble column.Particle image velocimetry(PIV)technology was employed to analyze the flow field and bubble motion behavior,and dynamic oxygen absorption technology was used to measure the gas-liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient(kLa).The effect of embedding wire mesh,adding solid particles,and wire mesh coupling solid particles on the flow characteristic and kLa were analyzed and compared.The results show that the gas-liquid interface area increases by 33%-72%when using the wire mesh coupling solid particles strategy compared to the gas-liquid two-phase flow,which is superior to the other two strengthening methods.Compared with the system without reinforcement,kLa in the bubble column increased by 0.5-1.8 times with wire mesh coupling solid particles method,which is higher than the sum of kLa increases with inserting wire mesh and adding particles,and the coupling reinforcement mechanism for affecting gas-liquid mass transfer process was discussed to provide a new idea for enhancing gas-liquid mass transfer.

Improvement of high-temperature strength of 6061 Al matrix composite reinforced by dual-phased nano-AlN and submicron-Al_(2)O_(3)particles

Nano-AlN and submicron-Al_(2)O_(3) particles were simultaneously utilized in a 6061 Al matrix composite to improve the high-temperature strength.According to the SEM and TEM characterization,nano-AlN and submicron-Al_(2)O_(3) particles are uniformly distributed in the Al matrix.Brinell hardness results indicate that different from the traditional 6061 Al matrix alloy,the aging kinetics of the composite is obviously accelerated by the reinforcement particles.The T6-treated composite exhibits excellent tensile properties at both room temperature and elevated temperature.Especially at 350℃,the T6-treated composite not only has a high yield strength of 121 MPa and ultimate tensile strength of 128 MPa,but also exhibits a large elongation of 11.6%.Different strengthening mechanisms of nano-AlN and submicron-Al_(2)O_(3) particles were also discussed in detail.

Nano-microbubble flotation of fine and ultrafine chalcopyrite particles

As is well known to mineral processing scientists and engineers, fine and ultrafine particles are difficult to float mainly due to the low bubble-particle collision efficiencies. Though many efforts have been made to improve flotation performance of fine and ultrafine particles, there is still much more to be done. In this paper, the effects of nano-microbubbles （nanobuhbles and microbubbles） on the flotation of fine （-38 ＋ 14.36 μm） and ultrafine （-14.36 ＋ 5μm） chalcopyrite particles were investigated in a laboratory scale Denver flotation cell. Nano-microbubbles were generated using a specially-designed nano- microbubble generator based on the cavitation phenomenon in Venturi tubes. In order to better under- stand the mechanisms of nano-microbubble enhanced froth flotation of fine and ultrafine chalcopyrite particles, the nano-microbubble size distribution, stability and the effect of frother concentration on nano- bubble size were also studied by a laser diffraction method. Comparative flotation tests were performed in the presence and absence of nano-microbubbles to evaluate their impact on the fine and ultrafine chalcopyrite particle flotation recovery. According to the results, the mean size of nano-microbubbles increased over time, and decreased with increase of frother concentration. The laboratory-scale flotation test results indicated that flotation recovery of chalcopyrite fine and ultrafine particles increased by approximately 16-21% in the presence of nano-microbubbles, depending on operating conditions of the process. The presence of nano-microbubbles increased the recovery of ultrafine particles （-14.36 ＋ 5 μm） more than that of fine particles （-38 ＋ 14.36 μm）. Another major advantage is that the use of nano-microbubbles reduced the collector and frother consumptions by up to 75% and 50%, respectively.

High-Temperature Annealing Induced He Bubble Evolution in Low Energy He Ion Implanted 6H-SiC

Bubble evolution in low energy and high dose He-implanted 6H-SiC upon thermal annealing is studied. The （0001）-oriented 6H-SiC wafers are implanted with 15keV helium ions at a dose of 1×10^17 cm^-2 at room temperature. The samples with post-implantation are annealed at temperatures of 1073, 1173, 1273, and 1473K for 30rain. He bubbles in the wafers are examined via cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy （XTEM） analysis. The results present that nanoscale bubbles are almost homogeneously distributed in the damaged layer of the as-implanted sample, and no significant change is observed in the He-implanted sample after 1073 K annealing. Upon 1193 K annealing, almost full recrystallization of He-implantation-induced amorphization in 6H-SiC is observed. In addition, the diameters of He bubbles increase obviously. With continually increasing temperatures to 1273K and 1473 K, the diameters of He bubbles increase and the number density of lattice defects decreases. The growth of He bubbles after high temperature annealingabides by the Ostwald ripening mechanism. The mean diameter of He bubbles located at depths of 120-135 nm as a function of annealing temperature is fitted in terms of a thermal activated process which yields an activation energy of 1.914＋0.236eV.

Computational study of bubble coalescence/break-up behaviors and bubble size distribution in a 3-D pressurized bubbling gas-solid fluidized bed of Geldart A particles

A computational study was carried out on bubble dynamic behaviors and bubble size distributions in a pressurized lab-scale gas-solid fluidized bed of Geldart A particles.High-resolution 3-D numerical simulations were performed using the two-fluid model based on the kinetic theory of granular flow.A finegrid,which is in the range of 3–4 particle diameters,was utilized in order to capture bubble structures explicitly without breaking down the continuum assumption for the solid phase.A novel bubble tracking scheme was developed in combination with a 3-D detection and tracking algorithm(MS3 DATA)and applied to detect the bubble statistics,such as bubble size,location in each time frame and relative position between two adjacent time frames,from numerical simulations.The spatial coordinates and corresponding void fraction data were sampled at 100 Hz for data analyzing.The bubble coalescence/break-up frequencies and the daughter bubble size distribution were evaluated by using the new bubble tracking algorithm.The results showed that the bubble size distributed non-uniformly over cross-sections in the bed.The equilibrium bubble diameter due to bubble break-up and coalescence dynamics can be obtained,and the bubble rise velocity follows Davidson’s correlation closely.Good agreements were obtained between the computed results and that predicted by using the bubble break-up model proposed in our previous work.The computational bubble tracking method showed the potential of analyzing bubble motions and the coalescence and break-up characteristics based on time series data sets of void fraction maps obtained numerically and experimentally.

Features of the motion of gel particles in a three-phase bubble column under foaming and non-foaming conditions

Features of the motion of gel particles in a three-phase bubble column with non-foaming and foaming gas–liquid systems,determined by using experiments of radioactive particle tracking(RPT),have been compared.The tracer used is a gel particle which resembles typical immobilized biocatalyst.The tracer trajectory is analyzed to extract relevant information for design purposes.The solid velocity field,turbulence parameters,dispersion coefficients,mixing times and flow transitions are determined and compared.The presence of foam significantly affects many quantified parameters,especially within the heterogeneous flow regime.The hydrodynamic stresses are reduced in the presence of foam,especially close to the disengagement.The dispersion coefficients also decrease,and the solid mixing time is only slightly affected by the presence of foam.Gas holdup,inferred both from RPT experiments and from gamma ray scanning,is higher for foaming systems and leads to a shift in the transition gas velocity towards higher values.

Effect of Ultrafine Particles on Flow Field and Transport Properties near the Interface Around a Moving Bubble

Laser Doppler Anemometer has been used to measure the flow field characteristics near the interface around a moving bubble in the presence of ultrafine particles. In order to model a moving bubble, the bubble was fixed into the counter flow liquid by a metal mesh. Experimental materials are air and water, and the particles are complex oxidate powder. Experiments were carried out under the operating conditions: the liquid flow velocity u 0 is 12.6 cm/s, the equivalent diameter d e is 0.6 cm, the mass concentration of particle is 0.2 0 0 ,the average particle diameter is about 10 nm and the density is 2 g/cm 3. The velocity profiles of both frontal and tail vortex areas were measured respectively. The experimental results show that the velocity fields are obviously changed in the existence of particles. In the frontal area of the bubble, both tangential and normal velocities decrease due to the presence of particles, but in tail vortex area, the tangential velocities increase remarkably, and normal velocities rise gradually from the center towards the fringe in the opposite tendency to that of no particles. The influences of flow field change in the presence of particles on gas liquid mass transfer are analyzed and discussed.

Numerical Simulation of Bubble Formation at a Single Orifice in Gas-fluidized Beds with Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics and Finite Volume Coupled Method

A coupled method describing gas–solid two-phase flow has been proposed to numerically study the bubble formation at a single orifice in gas-fluidized beds.Solid particles are traced with smoothed particle hydrodynamics,whereas gas phase is discretized by finite volume method.Drag force,gas pressure gradient,and volume fraction are used to couple the two methods.The effect of injection velocities,particle sizes,and particle densities on bubble growth is analyzed using the coupled method.The simulation results,obtained for two-dimensional geometries,include the shape and diameter size of a bubble as a function of time;such results are compared with experimental data,previous numerical results,and other approximate model predictions reported in the literature.Moreover,the flow profiles of gas and particle phases and the temperature distribution by the heat transfer model around the forming bubble are also discussed.All results show that the coupled method efficiently describes of the bubble formation in fluidized beds.The proposed method is applicable for solving gas–solid two-phase flow in fluidization.

Theoretical analysis of interaction between a particle and an oscillating bubble driven by ultrasound waves in liquid

A theoretical model is developed to describe the interaction of a particle and an oscillating bubble at arbitrary separation between them. The derivation of the model is based on the multipole expansion of the particle and bubble velocity potentials and the use of Lagrangian mechanics. The model consists of three coupled ordinary differential equations. One of them accounts for the pulsation of the bubble and the other two describe the translation of the bubble and particle in an infinite, incompressible liquid. The model here is accurate to order 1/d^10, where d is the distance between the centers of the particle and bubble. The effects of the size and density of the particle are investigated, namely, the interaction between the particle and bubble changes from repulsion to attraction with the increment of the particle density, and the increment of the particle size makes the interaction between the particle and bubble stronger. It is demonstrated that the driving frequency and acoustic pressure amplitude can affect the interaction of the particle and bubble. It is shown that the correct modeling of the translational dynamics of the bubble and particle at small separation distances requires terms accurate up to the tenth order.

Development of re-crosslinkable dispersed particle gels for conformance improvement in extremely high-temperature reservoirs

Micro-scale and nano-scale dispersed gel particles(DPG)are capable of deep migration in oil reservoirs due to their deformability,viscoelasticity,and suitable particle size.Therefore,it has been widely studied and applied in reservoir conformance control in recent years.However,for highly permeable channels,their plugging performance is still limited.In addition,conventional in situ cross-linked polymer gels(ISCPGs)have fast gelation time under extremely high-temperature conditions,which often causes problems such as difficulty in pumping.Therefore,a re-cross linkable dispersed particle gel(RDPG)system applied for conformance control in highly permeable channels of extremely high-temperature petroleum reservoirs was investigated.The particle size distribution,gelation time,gel strength,injection performance,and perfo rmance strength in po rous media were investigated using a laser particle size meter,the Sydansk bottle test method,rheometer,and core displacement experiments,respectively.Results show that the RDPG suspension can be stable for more than 6 months at room temperature with storage modulus G’much lower than 10 Pa.It can pass through the pore throat by elastic deformation effect and does not cause strong blockage.Moreover,it can undergo re-crosslinking reaction at 150℃to form a strong bulk gel.The gel strength G’of re-crosslinked RDPG can be as high as 69.3 Pa,which meets the strength requirement of conformance control.The RDPG suspension has the properties of easy injection,and it also has strong plugging,and high-temperature resistance after re-crosslinked in the core,which can be a very promising material for conformance improvement in extremely high-temperature reservoirs.

Bubble-particle interaction in flotation cell

Three elementary processes of bubble particle interaction: collision, adhesion and detachment, in turbulent flow of flotation cell were analyzed. A general equation describing the particle bubble interaction was derived, which allows us to evaluate the flotation rate constant quantitatively. The results of calculation were verified experimentally.

Study on the Flow Field around Two Parallel Moving Bubbles and Interaction Between Bubbles Rising in CMC Solutions by PIV

The flow fields surrounding two parallel moving bubbles rising from two identical orifices submerged in non-Newtonian fluid of carboxymethylcellulose （CMC） solution of three different mass concentration were measured experimentally by the use of particle image velocimetry （PIV）. The influences of gas flowrate, solution mass concentration, orifice interval and the angle between two bubble centers line and vertical direction on the flow field surrounding bubbles were discussed respectively by analyzing the velocity vector, velocity contours as well as individual velocity components. The results show that the liquid velocity both in front of two bubbles and behind increases with gas flowrate duo to shear-thinning effect of previous bubbles, whereas decreases with the increase of CMC concentration due to the increase of drag force acting on bubbles. The effect of the orifice interval on the flow field around two moving bubbles becomes gradually obvious as the interval becomes closer. Moreover, two adjacent side-by-side bubbles repulse each other during rising, leading to the practical interval between them increased somewhat above the orifice interval. When the distance between bubbles is less than the orifice interval 10 mm, the interaction between two neighboring bubbles changed from mutual repellence to attraction with the decrease of the angle of the line of linking two bubble centers to the vertical direction.

Challenges in Study of Single Particles and Particle Swarms

Numerical simulation of multiphase flows in processing equipment in industry with two-fluid models and Eulerian-Lagrangian approaches requires the constitutive equations describing the interactions between the dispersed phase of high concentration and the continuous phase. The status of research on the forces on dispersed solid and fluid particles is reviewed in this article. As compared with the knowledge on drag of single solid particles study on panicle swarms and on other forces is not sufficient to meet the demand of reliable and efficient numerical simulation of multiphase flows. Thus, thorough study on the panicle swarms becomes the key to accurate multi-scale simulation of multiphase flows. Besides, the development of efficient algorithm dealing with the non-uniformity on both equipment and mesoscopic scales is recognized as an important issue to be resolved. The research topics in the near future are suggested.

Influences of fluid physical properties,solid particles,and operating conditions on the hydrodynamics in slurry reactors

Slurry reactors are popular in many industrial processes,involved with numerous chemical and biological mixtures,solid particles with different concentrations and properties,and a wide range of operating conditions.These factors can significantly affect the hydrodynamic in the slurry reactors,having remarkable effects on the design,scale-up,and operation of the slurry reactors.This article reviews the influences of fluid physical properties,solid particles,and operating conditions on the hydrodynamics in slurry reactors.Firstly,the influence of fluid properties,including the density and viscosity of the individual liquid and gas phases and the interfacial tension,has been reviewed.Secondly,the solid particle properties(i.e.,concentration,density,size,wettability,and shape)on the hydrodynamics have been discussed in detail,and some vital but often ignored features,especially the influences of particle wettability and shape,as well as the variation of surface tension because of solid concentration alteration,are highlighted in this work.Thirdly,the variations of physical properties of fluids,hydrodynamics,and bubble behavior resulted from the temperature and pressure variations are also summarized,and the indirect influences of pressure on viscosity and surface tension are addressed systematically.Finally,conclusions and perspectives of these notable influences on the design and scale-up of industrial slurry reactors are presented.

Bubble entrainment, spray and splashing at hydraulic jumps

The sudden transition from a high-velocity, supercritical open channel flow into a slow-moving sub-critical flow is a hydraulic jump. Such a flow is characterised by a sudden rise of the free-surface, with some strong energy dissipation and air entrainment, waves and spray. New two-phase flow measurements were performed in the developing flow region using a large-size facility operating at large Reynolds numbers. The experimental results demonstrated the complexity of the flow with a developing mixing layer in which entrained bubbles are advected in a high shear stress flow. The relationship between bubble count rates and void fractions was non-unique in the shear zone, supporting earlier observations of some form of double diffusion process between momentum and air bubbles. In the upper region, the flow consisted primarily of water drops and packets sur-rounded by air. Visually significant pray and splashing were significant above the jump roller. The present study is the first com-prehensive study detailing the two-phase flow properties of both the bubbly and spray regions of hydraulic jumps, a first step towards understanding the interactions between bubble entrainment and droplet ejection processes.

Bubble size measurement in three-phase system using photograph technology

A special experiment setup was designed to observe the interaction between bubbles and particle in flotation cell and to analyze the bubble characteristics such as bubble size, distribution and bubble-loading efficiency. Bubbles in water-gas system and three-phase system were measured. The results indicate that with the current setup the bubbles as small as 10 μm can be easily distinguished. The average size of the bubbles generated under the given conditions in two-phase system is 410 μm at frother concentration of 0.004%, which is in good correspondence with the results of other works. The effect of frother on bubble size was probed. Increasing frother concentration from 0 to 0.004% causes a reduction of bubble size from 700 to 400 μm. The bubble loading efficiency was reported. The result indicates that the fine particle is more easily entrapped than the coarse particle. Some factors, which have effect on measurement accuracy were discussed. The aeration speed has a significant effect on the accuracy of results, if it surpasses 30 mL/s, and the image becomes unclear due to the entrapment of fine particle. Another factor, which can affect observing results, is the sampling position. At a wrong sampling position, the images become unclear.

Investigation of condition-induced bubble size and distribution in electroflotation using a high-speed camera

In the flotation process, bubble is a key factor in studying bubble-particle interaction and fine particle flo- tation. Knowledge on size distribution of bubbles in a flotation system is highly important. In this study, bubble distributions in different reagent concentrations, electrolyte concentrations, cathode apertures, and current densities in electroflotation are determined using a high-speed camera. Average bubble sizes under different conditions are calculated using Image-Pro@ Plus （Media Cybernetics@, MD, USA） and SigmaScan@ Pro （Systat Software, CA, USA） software. Results indicate that the average sizes of bubbles, which were generated through 38, 50, 74, 150, 250, 420, and 1000 μm cathode apertures, are 20.2, 29.5, 44.6, 59.2, 68.7, 78.5, and 88.8 μm, respectively. The optimal current density in electroflotation is 20 A/m2. Reagent and electrolyte concentrations, current density, and cathode aperture are important factors in controlling bubble size and nucleation. These factors also contribute to the control of fine- Particle flotation.

Experimental investigation on the effect of surface characterization of electrodes on the gas bubble dynamics in electrolyte flow and performance of FLA batteries by using PIV

In the flooded lead_acid batteries(FLAB),gas bubbles are initially formed on the surface of the electrodes,which are produced by electrochemical reactions,and then released into the electrolyte.In the present investigation,the effect of surface characterization of electrodes of FLAB on the gas bubble dynamic parameters in the electrolyte flow at different charging/discharging rates(C-rates)are studied utilizing particle image velocimetry(PIV)method.The results show that the capacity of FLAB have a linear behavior due to changes in each of the two parameters of the surface characterization of electrodes and the Crate.At all State of charges(SOCs)of FLAB cells in different tests,increasing average roughness(Ra)and average wavelength of the roughness(λa)in the electrode surfaces,results in an increase in average bubble diameter and bubble rising velocity.Nevertheless,a sharp decrease in the void fraction of bubbles within the electrolyte was observed due to the increment inλa and Ra.Also,the effect of the rising movement of gas bubbles within the electrolyte on the average electrolyte velocity pattern in the gap between the electrodes by changing the surface characterization of electrodes are investigated in detail.

Adaptable "bubble particles" prepared by green aqueous phase reshaping for completely removing odor

Facile and ecofriendly loading of micro/nano function-specific substances to create functional materials is a trend being pursued by researchers.However,current micro/nano particles loading approaches are often hindered by issues such as uneven distribution,unsatisfactory stability and complicate procedure.In this work,we present an aqueous phase reshaping method that only utilizes the moisture to fabricate the"bubble particles",which could perfectly cater to the topography of the substrate.The green preparation of bubble particles adopts an absolutely zero-pollution method,realizing the firm loading of particles on the substrate.Integrating the preparation and loading of particles overcomes the traditional complicate process,while the aqueous phase reshaping ensures uniform and firm loading of the"bubble particles"onto the substrate.Our mechanism demonstrates a significant enhancement in the interface relation after aqueous phase reshaping,with a 121-fold increase in contact surface area achieved by reducing the height by 1μm.Furthermore,we explore for the first time the influence of the nature of the receiving substrate on the interface morphology of particles during electrostatic spraying,which has important guiding significance for the interface relationship of electrostatic spraying and even electrostatic spinning materials.We also screen out the natural antibacterial essential oil linalool as the effective specialized antibacterial agent,which can specifically inhibit the odor-producing Proteus in urine,with an antibacterial rate of up to 100%.Taken together,this simple,ecofriendly method for fabricating functional materials with optimal interface stability appears highly promising for use in various products formed by electrostatic spraying/spinning.

Hybrid effect on mechanical properties and high-temperature performance of copper matrix composite reinforced with micro-nano dual-scale particles

A dual-scale hybrid HfB_(2)/Cu-Hf composite with HfB_(2) microparticles and Cu_(5) Hf nanoprecipitates was designed and prepared.The contribution of the hybrid effect to the mechanical properties and high-temperature performances was studied from macro and micro perspectives,respectively.The hybrid of dual-scale particles can make the strain distribution of the composite at the early deformation stage more uniform and delay the strain concentration caused by the HfB_(2) particle.The dislocation pinning of HfB_(2) particles and the coherent strengthening of Cu_(5) Hf nanoprecipitates simultaneously play a strengthening role,but the strength of the hybrid composite is not a simple superposition of two strengthening mod-els.In addition,both Cu_(5) Hf nanoprecipitates and HfB_(2) microparticles contribute to the high-temperature performance of the composite,the growth and phase transition of nanoprecipitates at high temperature will reduce their contribution to strength,while the stable HfB_(2) particles can inhibit the coarsening of matrix grains and maintain the high-density geometrically necessary dislocations(GNDs)in the matrix,which ensures more excellent high-temperature resistance of the hybrid composite.As a result,the hy-brid structure can simultaneously possess the advantages of multiple reinforcements and make up for the shortcomings of each other.Finally,a copper matrix composite with high strength,high conductivity,and excellent high-temperature performance is displayed.