Flow regimes, liquid holdups and two phase pressure drop for two-phase cocurrent downflow and upflow through packed beds: air/Newtonian and non-Newtonian liquid systems

The analysis of the hydrodynamics results of two-phase downflow and upflow through fixed beds with porous particles shows that the flow regimes, two-phase pressure drop and liquid holdups are strongly influenced by the presence of the non-Newtonian liquids. With highly viscous non-Newtonian liquids the hydrodynamic characteristics (pressure drop, dynamic and total liquid holdups) of two-phase downflow are close to those of two-phase upflow-the axial dispersion appears to be an important cause for the possible effects of the hydrodynamics on the reactor performance. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.