DISPERSED PHASE CHARACTERISTICS IN 3-PHASE (LIQUID-LIQUID SOLID) FLUIDIZED-BEDS

Abstract

Two ideal droplet length (l(v)) distributions have been derived for two different droplet shapes. The dispersed phase holdup (epsilon(d)) increases with increasing dispersed phase velocity (U(d)), but decreases with increasing continuous phase velocity (U(c)) in three-phase fluidized beds. In the droplet-coalescing flow regime, l(v) and the droplet rising velocity (V(d)) increase, but the spherical droplet fraction (kappa) decreases with increasing U(d) and U(c). In the droplet-disintegrating flow regime, the effects of U(d) and U(c) on l(v) and kappa are insignificant, but V(d) increases with increasing U(c). Maximum values of l(v) occur in the bed containing 1.7 mm diameter particles and l(v) has an uniform length of around 2.0 mm in beds with particle size larger than 3.0 mm.