Gas—liquid pressure drop studies in a reciprocating plate column

AbstractTwo‐phase pressure drop in a 93 mm diameter reciprocating plate column (RPC) was studied for the air‐water system, and to a lesser extent for air‐kerosene. Amplitudes (strokes) in the range 14 to 63.5 mm and frequencies from 0.75 to 4.0 Hz were investigated for between 2 and 10 brass plates with hole diameters from 3 to 8 mm and free flow area between 0.09 and 0.306. Continuous phase velocity was varied from 1.24 to 3.72 cm s−1 and dispersed phase velocity varied from 0.04 to 5.10 cm s−1. The measured pressure head was subjected to a static head correction based on the measured holdup of the dispersed phase and densities of the phases. The data were correlated by regression analysis as a friction factor expressed in terms of loading ratio, Reynolds number and Froude number; they were also compared with an earlier theoretical prediction by Noh and Baird for single phase flow in a RPC. The two‐phase pressure drop was found to increase with agitation both in the mixer‐settler and emulsion regions and reached a maximum at vibrating speeds around 10 cm s−1. Beyond this point, it decreased in the unstable region preceding flooding. It was concluded that the RPC could be effectively used in the emulsion region for optimum performance.

Gas—liquid pressure drop studies in a reciprocating plate column Journal Articles