Physics of Gas Liquid Flows

Presenting tools for understanding the behaviour of gas-liquid flows based on the ways large scale behaviour relates to small scale interactions, this text is ideal for engineers seeking to enhance the safety and efficiency of natural gas pipelines, water-cooled nuclear reactors, absorbers, distillation columns and gas lift pumps.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the practical aspects of multiphase reactor design and operation with an emphasis on safety and clean technology. It considers not only standard operation conditions, but also the problems of runaway reaction conditions and protection against ensuing over-pressure.

This book focuses on two related topics in fluid mechanics, that is, speed of sound through various media and critical flow associated with gas–liquid flows. The first part of the book explores the speed of sound in liquids, gases, and solids. For gas flows, both real gas behavior and two-phase flow are reviewed; a thorough review is given of cubic equations of state. For media of solid, transverse and longitudinal waves are discussed and related back to earlier work on acoustics and gas dynamics. The second part of the book focuses on critical flow. Beginning with ideal, perfect gases, it goes into van der Waals and other equations of state. A general discussion of gas–liquid flows is subsequently given with necessary nomenclature consistent with the work of Wallis, and lastly goes on to explore critical flow for two-phase and binary mixtures through Henry and Fauske's work and the Omega method by Leung.

This book focuses on two related topics in fluid mechanics, that is, speed of sound through various media and critical flow associated with gas–liquid flows. The first part of the book explores the speed of sound in liquids, gases, and solids. For gas flows, both real gas behavior and two-phase flow are reviewed; a thorough review is given of cubic equations of state. For media of solid, transverse and longitudinal waves are discussed and related back to earlier work on acoustics and gas dynamics. The second part of the book focuses on critical flow. Beginning with ideal, perfect gases, it goes into van der Waals and other equations of state. A general discussion of gas–liquid flows is subsequently given with necessary nomenclature consistent with the work of Wallis, and lastly goes on to explore critical flow for two-phase and binary mixtures through Henry and Fauske's work and the Omega method by Leung.

The book summarises the outcom of a priority research programme: 'Analysis, Modelling and Computation of Multiphase Flows'. The results of 24 individual research projects are presented. The main objective of the research programme was to provide a better understanding of the physical basis for multiphase gas-liquid flows as they are found in numerous chemical and biochemical reactors. The research comprises steady and unsteady multiphase flows in three frequently found reactor configurations, namely bubble columns without interiors, airlift loop reactors, and aerated stirred vessels. For this purpose new and improved measurement techniques were developed. From the resulting knowledge and data, new and refined models for describing the underlying physical processes were developed, which were used for the establishment and improvement of analytic as well as numerical methods for predicting multiphase reactors. Thereby, the development, lay-out and scale-up of such processes should be possible on a more reliable basis.

The book summarises the outcom of a priority research programme: 'Analysis, Modelling and Computation of Multiphase Flows'. The results of 24 individual research projects are presented. The main objective of the research programme was to provide a better understanding of the physical basis for multiphase gas-liquid flows as they are found in numerous chemical and biochemical reactors. The research comprises steady and unsteady multiphase flows in three frequently found reactor configurations, namely bubble columns without interiors, airlift loop reactors, and aerated stirred vessels. For this purpose new and improved measurement techniques were developed. From the resulting knowledge and data, new and refined models for describing the underlying physical processes were developed, which were used for the establishment and improvement of analytic as well as numerical methods for predicting multiphase reactors. Thereby, the development, lay-out and scale-up of such processes should be possible on a more reliable basis.