A two-fluid Eulerian model has been used to study the effect of various sieve plate gas distributors and gas superficial velocities on the hydrodynamics of three-dimensional flow in bubble columns. Turbulence has been modelled using the k–ε turbulence model. Inclusion of gas distributors showed asymmetric flow patterns which are otherwise smoothened when modelled using a uniform gas source. The asymmetric behaviour increased with an increase in the number of holes giving better mixing. The gas hold-up increased with superficial gas velocity, and was independent of the distributor design at high superficial gas velocities. Comparison of simulation results with the experimental work from the literature has provided a successful validation of the model. This study demonstrates the significance of the real distributor in hydrodynamic studies that has been largely neglected in the past.