Tapered-end optical probes have been proven to be one of the most effective tools for characterizing complex multiphase gas-liquid systems that are handled in bubble columns, slurry bubble columns, stirred tanks, etc. Due to their relatively low cost and wide range of operability, optical probes have the potential of becoming not only key research tools, but also process sensors in these systems. However, in order for this to materialize, a significant and often-neglected disadvantage, i.e., potential ‘bias’ when the tip is employed in an ‘improper’ direction, must be overcome. Here, we briefly reinstitute the probabilistic model capable of correcting for this directional ‘bias’ by quantifying gas phase’s directional contributions to the overall local gas phase holdup¹, and present the model’s usefulness in assessing complex nature of gas phase dispersions in sparged and stirred gas-liquid tanks.

Reference

1. Lee BW, Dudukovic MP. Probabilistic Model for Correcting Directional Sensitivity of Optical Measurements. Paper presented at: 2014 AIChE Annual Meeting2014; Atlanta, GA.