Detailed investigation of multiphase (gas-liquid and gas-liquid-liquid) flow behaviour on inclined plates

T his paper deals with the detailed investigation of homogeneous and heterogeneous liquid flow behaviours as it e.g., appears on distillation column packings. The flow is investigated experimentally as well as numerically. One main aspect is the validation of a multiphase CFD code for this complex application, which offers various difficulties like film flow and film break-up with rivulet and droplet flow. Experimental data of the flow is obtained with optical methods; numerical investigations are carried out with CFX 5, Ansys Inc. The multiphase flow in the first case is composed of one liquid phase and one gas phase (two-phase flow) and in the second case of two immiscible liquid phases and one gas phase (three-phase flow). For validation surface velocities and the spreading of the liquid phases are taken into account as well as morphologies of the flow.