Find in Library
Search millions of books, articles, and more
Indexed Open Access Databases
Gas Holdup Distribution in a Coaxial Mixer Containing Yield-Pseudoplastic Fluids: Effect of Biopolymer Concentration
oleh: Paloma L. Barros, Farhad Ein-Mozaffari, Ali Lohi
| Format: | Article |
|---|---|
| Diterbitkan: | MDPI AG 2023-05-01 |
Deskripsi
The performance of gas-liquid mixing processes in agitated vessels is commonly measured by the degree of gas dispersion, and local measurements of this parameter can provide a more accurate description of the mixing, especially for non-Newtonian fluids. For instance, the fluid flow of complex yield-pseudoplastic solutions is highly affected by the local shear stress, leading to a non-homogeneous air distribution throughout the mixing vessel. Coaxial mixers have demonstrated energy-efficient characteristics for non-Newtonian fluids that improve mixing homogeneity due to the independent rotation of a central impeller and a close-clearance impeller. Therefore, this work aims to investigate the axial profile of the local gas holdup in a PBT-anchor coaxial mixer containing xanthan gum solutions, which is a biopolymer widely utilized as an emulsion stabilizer, dispersing agent, and thickener. The rheological behavior of the solutions was described by the Herschel-Bulkley model, and the effect of the xanthan gum concentration on the gas holdup distribution was analyzed. Electrical resistance tomography (ERT) was employed to obtain the gas holdup from the conductivity measurements of the mixture in each of the four horizontal planes. Results show that the gas holdup increased downward for all solutions, and a lower xanthan gum concentration reduced the non-homogeneity in gas distribution and the overall gas volume fraction. In contrast, higher xanthan gum concentrations enhanced gas holdup in high shear stress regions while weakening air dispersion distant from those regions due to higher viscous forces.