Local gas phase flow characteristics of a gas-liquid-solid three-phase reversed flow jet loop reactor

The local gas-phase flow characteristics such as local gas holdup (epsilon(g)), local bubble velocity (V-b) and local bubble mean diameter (d(b)) at a specified point in a gas-liquid-solid three-phase reversed flow jet loop reactor was experimentally investigated by a five-point conductivity probe. The effects of gas jet flow rate, liquid jet flow rate, solid loading, nozzle diameter and axial position on the local epsilon(g), V-b and d(b) profiles were discussed. The presence of solids at low solid concentrations not only increased the local epsilon(g) and V-b, but also decreased the local d(b). The optimum solid loading for the maximum local epsilon(g) and V-b together with the minimum local d(b) was 0.16 x 10(-3) m(3), corresponding to a solid volume fraction, epsilon(S) = 2.5%.