Bubble columns with fine pore sparger operating in the pseudo-homogeneous regime: Gas hold up prediction and a criterion for the transition to the heterogeneous regime

New experimental data concerning the gas holdup in bubble columns equipped with porous sparger were acquired. The effect of liquid properties and sparger characteristic (i.e., pore size, dimensions) on gas holdup at the pseudo-homogeneous regime has been studied and a correlation regarding the prediction of the transition point from the pseudo-homogeneous to the heterogeneous regime has been proposed and found to be in good agreement with available data. Moreover, a previously proposed correlation [Mouza, A.A., Dalakoglou, G.K., Paras, S.V., 2005. Effect of liquid properties on the performance of bubble column reactors with fine pore spargers. Chemical Engineering Science 60(5), 1465-1475], for the prediction of gas holdup at the homogeneous regime for this type of equipment, has been modified to take into account the effect of the mean pore diameter and it is also found to be in good agreement with published data. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.