Hydrodynamics of gas-liquid cocurrent upflow in oscillating packed beds for offshore marine applications

- Hexapod oscillations induce transverse displacements in two-phase upflow packed beds.
- Tilting oscillations are responsible for periodic gas-liquid segregation and pressure drop.
- Column oscillations inflate liquid axial dispersion coefficients.
- Rolling motions induce intermittent pulse flow in two-phase upflow packed beds.

In this study, the hydrodynamic behavior of inclined stationary and oscillating packed beds with gas-liquid cocurrent upflow mode of operation was investigated. Comprehensive hydrodynamic experiments were carried out using embedded low-intrusive Wire-Mesh Sensors (WMSs) and a hexapod ship motion simulator in order to properly understand the effect of column inclination and movements on gas-liquid flow distribution in the bed cross-section, overall pressure drop, liquid saturation, and pulsing flow inception. Furthermore, liquid residence time and Péclet number estimated by a stimulus-response technique and a macro-mixing model were presented and discussed with respect to the prevailing flow regimes. The results revealed that the column deviation from the vertical posture and tilting motions significantly alter the hydrodynamics prevailing in the packed bed operating in a concurrent upflow mode. Development of gas-liquid disengagement zones, oscillations in the pressure drop and uniformity factor time series, departure from liquid plug flow character, and delay in the inception of pulsing flow regime were observed as a result of bed inclination and oscillations.

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