Gas holdup dynamics in the Cu-Cl cycle oxygen reactor: A three-dimensional CFD modeling approach

• Investigate thermolysis reactor in the Cu-Cl cycle for hydrogen production. • Investigate hydrodynamic study using a 3D CFD model. • Investigates gas holdup behaviour under different superficial gas velocities. • Examines the effects of varying static liquid heights on gas holdup. • Highlights that the 3D CFD model offers greater precision than the 2D CFD model. This study examines the hydrodynamics of the thermolysis reactor inside the copper-chlorine cycle for hydrogen production. The study uses a 3D CFD model to examine gas holdup behaviour at various superficial gas velocities between 0.05 and 0.15 m/s. The model, examined against experimental data and compared to a two-dimensional counterpart, exhibits precise trend modelling of gas holdup with a maximum error of 5.36%, indicating that gas holdup increases with increasing superficial gas velocities. Also, the impact of several static liquid heights (45, 55, and 65 cm) on gas holdup is analysed, demonstrating an 11% reduction in gas holdup as the static liquid height increases from 0.45 m to 0.65 m. The three-dimensional model offers enhanced accuracy relative to the two-dimensional model, providing essential insights into reactor performance and improving hydrogen production techniques.