Modelling the flow behaviour of gas bubbles in a bubble column

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dc.contributor.advisorRawatlal, Randhiren_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorHarrison, STLen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorChinyoka, Tirien_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMcMahon, Andrew Martinen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-07-31T11:16:37Z
dc.date.available2014-07-31T11:16:37Z
dc.date.issued2009en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes abstract.
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references (leaves 96-99).
dc.description.abstractThe bubble column reactor is commonly used in industry, although the fluid dynamics inside are not well understood. The challenges associated with solving multi phase flow problems arise from the complexity of the governing equations which have to be solved, which are typically mass, momentum and energy balances. These time-dependent problems need to include effects of turbulence and are computationally expensive when simulating the hydrodynamics of large bubble columns. In an attempt to reduce the computational expense in solving bubble column reactor models, a "cell" model is proposed which predicts the velocity flow field in the vicinity of a single spherical bubble. It is intended that this model would form the fundamental building block in a macroscale model framework that does predict the flow of multiple bubbles in the whole column. The non-linear Navier-Stokes (NVS) equations are used to model fluid flow around the bubble. This study focusses on the Reynolds number range where the linear Stokes equations can be used to accurately predict the flow around the bubble. The Stokes equations are mathematically easier to solve than the NVS equations and are thus less computationally expensive. The validity of the NVS model was tested against experimental data for the flow of water around a solid sphere and was found to be in close agreement for the Reynolds number range 25 to 80. The simulation results from the Stokes flow model were compared with those from the NVS flow model and were similar at Reynolds numbers below 1. The application is then in the partitioning of the bubble column into regions governed by either Stokes or NVS equations.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationMcMahon, A. M. (2009). <i>Modelling the flow behaviour of gas bubbles in a bubble column</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Chemical Engineering. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5441en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationMcMahon, Andrew Martin. <i>"Modelling the flow behaviour of gas bubbles in a bubble column."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Chemical Engineering, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5441en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationMcMahon, A. 2009. Modelling the flow behaviour of gas bubbles in a bubble column. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.risTY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - McMahon, Andrew Martin AB - The bubble column reactor is commonly used in industry, although the fluid dynamics inside are not well understood. The challenges associated with solving multi phase flow problems arise from the complexity of the governing equations which have to be solved, which are typically mass, momentum and energy balances. These time-dependent problems need to include effects of turbulence and are computationally expensive when simulating the hydrodynamics of large bubble columns. In an attempt to reduce the computational expense in solving bubble column reactor models, a "cell" model is proposed which predicts the velocity flow field in the vicinity of a single spherical bubble. It is intended that this model would form the fundamental building block in a macroscale model framework that does predict the flow of multiple bubbles in the whole column. The non-linear Navier-Stokes (NVS) equations are used to model fluid flow around the bubble. This study focusses on the Reynolds number range where the linear Stokes equations can be used to accurately predict the flow around the bubble. The Stokes equations are mathematically easier to solve than the NVS equations and are thus less computationally expensive. The validity of the NVS model was tested against experimental data for the flow of water around a solid sphere and was found to be in close agreement for the Reynolds number range 25 to 80. The simulation results from the Stokes flow model were compared with those from the NVS flow model and were similar at Reynolds numbers below 1. The application is then in the partitioning of the bubble column into regions governed by either Stokes or NVS equations. DA - 2009 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2009 T1 - Modelling the flow behaviour of gas bubbles in a bubble column TI - Modelling the flow behaviour of gas bubbles in a bubble column UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5441 ER -en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/5441
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationMcMahon AM. Modelling the flow behaviour of gas bubbles in a bubble column. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment ,Department of Chemical Engineering, 2009 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5441en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentCentre for Bioprocess Engineering Researchen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherBioprocess Engineeringen_ZA
dc.titleModelling the flow behaviour of gas bubbles in a bubble columnen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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