Correlations for the Interphase Drag in the Two-Fluid Model of Gas–Liquid Flows through Packed-Bed Reactors

Experiments conducted by NASA measured the pressure drop due to gas–liquid flow through a packed-bed reactor under microgravity conditions. From these experiments, we develop correlations for the gas–liquid fgl interphase drag in a two-fluid model (TFM). We use an Ergun-type closure for liquid–solid drag. Then, under a one-dimensional (1D) flow assumption, fgl is the only unknown in the TFM. Using a data-driven approach, we determine fgl and correlate it (via composite fits) with the liquid and gas Reynolds numbers, Rel and Reg, respectively, and the Suratman number Sul. To validate the proposed fgl(Rel, Reg, Sul) closure, we perform two-dimensional transient simulations at microgravity conditions using ANSYS Fluent and employing an Euler–Euler formulation. We find good agreement between the simulations based on the proposed fgl closure and the experimental data.