Department of Mechanical Engineering

The Transport Processes Laboratory was established by Dr. Heindel in Fall 2000 to conduct research and teaching in the areas of mass, momentum, and heat transfer in multiphase flows.

Multiphase flows, composed of gas-liquid, gas-solid, liquid-solid, or gas-liquid-solid mixtures, are commonly found in many process industries such as petroleum-based fuel production, energy generation, commodity and specialty chemical production, mineral processing, textile processing, pulp and paper processing, wastewater treatment, food processing, and biological organism and pharmaceutical production.

The goal of our laboratory is to develop an understanding of the hydrodynamics and transport characteristics of these flows, and apply this understanding to improve process performance.

Overview of the Experimental Facilities

Approximately 1000 ft2 of floor space in an area with a ceiling height in excess of 25 ft

• A catwalk located 9 ft off the ground to access high test sections
• A 10.2 cm (4 in) diameter semi-batch bubble column
• A 15.2 cm (6 in) diameter semi-batch bubble column
• A 15.2 cm (6 in) diameter cocurrent bubble column
• A 32.1 cm (12.6 in) diameter semi-batch bubble column
• A 7.5 hp slurry pump with a variable frequency drive
• A 100 gal. storage vessel and mixer
• Black-Clawson hydrapulper
• British disintegrator
• Tensiometer
• Four dedicated computer-controlled data acquisition systems
• Access to city water and compressed air
• High-accuracy magnetic flow meter, several mass flow meters, absolute and differential pressure transducers, electronically controlled gate and solenoid valves, and thermocouples
• Vacuum pump

Test Rig Summary:

10.2 cm Diameter Semi-Batch Bubble Column

The D = 10 cm semi-batch bubble column is 2.3 m tall. Three different aeration plates composed of differing numbers of 1 mm diameter holes are available for use and have open areas of 0.62%, 0.93%, and 2.22%.

The column is instrumented with two pressure transducers separated by a fixed distance of 0.91 m. Two different mass flow meters connected to the gas inlet provide for gas flow rate measurements over a wide range. This column is connected to a dedicated computer-controlled data acquisition system.

15.2 cm Diameter Semi-Batch Bubble Column

The D = 15.2 cm semi-batch bubble column is 4 m tall. This column has three different aeration plates from which to choose; each comprised of a different number of 1 mm diameter holes to yield open areas of 0.57%, 0.99%, and 2.14%.

This column is instrumented with 4 pressure transducers and 2 thermocouples, and 3 mass flow meters provide a means to measure a wide range of gas flow rates. This column is connected to a dedicated computer-controlled data acquisition system.

15.2 cm Diameter Cocurrent Bubble Column

The D = 15.2 cm cocurrent bubble column rises 4 m above a radial aerator. A flow straightener section is located upstream from the aerator. A gas-fluid separator, fluid reservoir, mixer, slurry pump, slurry flow meter, gas (mass) flow meters, and disengagement valves complete the cocurrent flow loop.

This column is instrumented with 5 pressure transducers and 2 thermocouples. A magnetic flow meter and 3 mass flow meters provide the ability to record a range of slurry and gas flow rates. This column is connected to a dedicated computer-controlled data acquisition system.

32.1 cm Diameter Semi-Batch Bubble Column

The D = 32.1 cm semi-batch bubble column is 5.75 m tall. This column has three different aeration plates from which to choose; each comprised of a different number of 1 mm diameter holes to yield open areas of 0.49%, 0.95%, and 2.03%.

This column is instrumented with 11 flush-mounted pressure transducers; the first is located 15.2 cm off the column floor and the remaining are spaced every 30.5 cm in the axial direction. Additional instrumentation includes 2 thermocouples and 3 mass flow meters.

This column is connected to a dedicated computer-controlled data acquisition system.