Measurements of local interfacial area: application of bi-optical fibre technique

Sammy Lewis Kiambi (1) , Anne-Marie Billet (1) , Aimé Bascoul (1) , Henri Delmas (1)

1 LGC - Laboratoire de Génie Chimique

Local mean interfacial area in gas–liquid bubbly flow is experimentally investigated; data is obtained from the experiments carried out with a double optical sensor intrusive probe and analysed by statistical methods. Local variables are measured in the riser of an external loop airlift reactor in air/water medium. The results are presented in the form of the radial pro'les of void fraction, bubble diameter and local average interfacial area at super'cial gas velocities ranging from 0.003 to 0.11 m/s. The axial variations of the same parameters are also investigated. The values of local interfacial area obtained from the classical equation and from bubble velocity statistical treatment methods agree reasonably well. This shows that the double optical probe is a reliable method for local measurements of interfacial area. Eventually, the maximum angle alpha0 between the probe vertical direction and bubble velocity vector at the piercing point is evaluated and the influence of gas superficial velocity on z0 is demonstrated.

Mots clés: Bubbly flow; Local mean interfacial area; Bubble diameter; Void fraction; Optical probe; Airlift

Domaines: Génie chimique; Génie des procédés

Sammy Lewis Kiambi, Anne-Marie Billet, Aimé Bascoul, Henri Delmas. Measurements of local interfacial area: application of bi-optical fibre technique. Chemical Engineering Science, 2001, 56 (21-22), pp.6447-6453. ⟨10.1016/S0009-2509(01)00245-7⟩. ⟨hal-03604639⟩