Gas hold-up distribution and mixing time in gas–liquid stirred tanks

• ERT allows the analysis of gas–liquid systems without limitation on the gas loading.
• The local distribution of gas hold-up in sparged stirred tanks is measured.
• The effect of bubbles on the liquid mixing time is assessed.
• The mixing quality is quantitatively related to the flow regimes.
• Data interpretation shows the relationship with a modified Peclet number.

In this work, the gas–liquid dispersion in a stirred tank equipped with different impellers is investigated by Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT). The main goal of the study is to provide detailed information on the spatial distribution of the gas phase and on the effect of bubbles on the liquid homogenisation dynamics. The analysis is carried out under variable gas flow rates and impeller speeds, thus covering different regimes of gas–impeller interaction, as obtained by Rushton Turbines, Pitched Blade Turbines pumping upwards and Lightnin A310. The experimental technique allows us to overcome the typical limitations of optical methods and to gain insight into the complex behaviour of sparged stirred tanks without restriction on the upper value of overall gas hold-up, that is of great interest for several chemical and biochemical processes. Besides, the experimental data can be adopted as a benchmark for advanced modelling techniques based on CFD methods, whose scant validation is often due to limited information on the local dispersion features.The analysis of experimental results allows us to suggest simple correlations for the prediction of the prevailing flow regime based on the dimensionless Froude and flow numbers. Finally, the definition of a modified Peclet number is also suggested, as a simple parameter for the interpretation of both the gas hold-up distribution and the dimensionless mixing time.

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