Analysis of Interfacial Forces of a Slurry Bubble Column

Slurry bubble columns are multiphase contactors widely used in industry applications, due to high transfer rates with low operating and maintenance costs. However, their fluid dynamics is very complex, and several studies are still in progress concerning interfacial forces present in such equipment, manly when a third solid phase is added in the flow. Solids particles holdup, velocity and physical properties affect directly flow parameters as bubble distribution, liquid velocity and gas holdup, which are directly related to the fluid/fluid and solid/fluid interaction. As in the most of application, solids act as catalyst, which influences on mixing, mass transfer and chemical reaction, emphasizing the importance of their correct dynamics prediction. Despite the extensive research involving bubble columns, the way that the three phases interact with each other still continues as an open subject. In this context, this study proposes a numerical simulation of a three phase bubble column for evaluating the influence of the interaction forces between gas/liquid, gas/solid and liquid/solid phases. Numerical simulations were performed with a CFD commercial code and results were compared with the experimental data available in literature.