Identification of Flow Regimes in a Concurrent Gas Liquid Upflow through Packed Beds

The flow regimes bubble flow, pulse flow, and spray flow were identified by visual observation in a packed column. Three gas-liquid systems (air/water, air/56 % glycerol, and air/monoethanolamine) and four column packings (Raschig rings, Intalox saddles, and two sizes of spheres) were investigated to cover wide ranges of physical properties of gas liquid systems and characteristics of column packings affecting the flow regime transition. Criteria for the flow regime transition were developed in terms of system and operating variables.