Gas holdup and liquid axial velocity profile were measured in a large scale bubble column with tube bundle internals with four different types of gas distributor configuration and were compared with results in the bubble column without internals. Gas distribution type directly determined gas holdup and liquid axial velocity profile in the bubble column with internals. With central distribution

gas holdup and liquid axial velocity profile showed much steeper than those in the bubble column without internals. With annulus or near wall distribution

they presented saddle profile

while with uniform distribution

both of them showed more flat than those in the bubble column without internals. The influence of gas distributor was local in the bubble column without internals and the well-developed region occupied a major part of the column

however

its impact was global in the bubble column with internals and the initial distributions of gas holdup and liquid velocity determined their distributions in the whole column. It was difficult to observe the existence of well-developed region in the bubble column with internals and therefore

designing gas distributor is more meaningful than the bubble column without internals.