CFD simulation of bubbly turbulent Tayor–Couette flow

Bubbly gas–liquid Taylor–Couette vortex flow has been the subject of several recent investigations both because of interest in bubble-induced drag reduction and because such devices have potential applications to a variety of chemical and biochemical processing problems. In order to quantitatively describe the hydrodynamics of highly turbulent two phase Taylor–Couette flow, a rigorous two-fluid computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed and compared with previously published experimental data. This model includes a comprehensive description of the constitutive closure for inter-phase forces and turbulence was simulated using both the k – ε and k – ω models. In addition, the mechanism by which the dispersed fluid attains a non-uniform radial and axial distribution is analyzed and the relative importance of various interphase forces is discussed. Lastly the model was validated by comparison of simulation predictions with experimental data, and it is shown that the CFD model correctly predicts phase velocity, velocity fluctuation, and gas distribution, and may provide guidance for reactor design and scale-up.

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