Sandia support for PETC Fischer-Tropsch research: Experimental characterization of slurry-phase bubble-column reactor hydrodynamics

Sandia`s program to develop, implement, and apply diagnostics for hydrodynamic characterization of slurry bubble-column reactors (SBCRs) at industrially relevant conditions is discussed. Gas-liquid flow experiments are performed in an industrial-scale 48 cm ID stainless steel vessel. Gamma-densitometry tomography (GDT) is applied to make spatially resolved gas holdup measurements. Both water and Drakeol 10 with air sparging are examined at ambient and elevated pressures. Gas holdup increases with gas superficial velocity and pressure, and the GDT values are in good agreement with values from differential pressure measurements. Other diagnostic techniques are also discussed