GAS HOLDUPS AND FRICTION FACTORS OF GAS-LIQUID 2-PHASE FLOW IN AN AIR-LIFT BUBBLE COLUMN

Gas holdups and friction factors were measured for gas-liquid parallel two-phase flow in an air-lift bubble column. Velocities of gas and liquid, liquid viscosity, and surface tension were varied. The results were correlated with dimensionless equations. The proposed equations are useful for the estimations of gas holdups, distribution of gas holdup along the column height, and liquid circulation velocities between a riser and a downcomer in an air-lift bubble column.