Numerical and experimental investigations of bubble breakage and coalescence in slurry bubble columns

This thesis outlines numerical and experimental methods to study bubble breakage and coalescence in slurry bubble columns. Bubble breakage and coalescence phenomena in slurry bubble columns differ from the phenomena in two-phase bubble columns. The third present solid-particle phase affects bubble breakage and coalescence depending on the solid-particle properties such as density or particle size. Solid particles with diameters in the micrometer range enhance bubble coalescence which lowers the gas volume fraction dispersed in the continuous medium and thus the interfacial area available for mass transfer. Modeling approaches, applied simulations as well as experimental characterizations of two- and three-phase bubble columns containing microparticles are presented.