Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol.50, No.21, 12203-12207, 2011
Effect of Electrolytes in Aqueous Solution on Bubble Size in Gas-Liquid Bubble Columns
The effects of three inorganic electrolytes (CaCl2, MgCl2, and NaCl) in aqueous solutions on the bubble size in a gas liquid bubble column under a homogeneous bubbling regime were investigated. The concentration of electrolytes and the superficial gas velocity at the entrance of the column were varied. The average bubble diameter in the main section of the equipment was estimated using digital image analysis. From an analysis of variance, it was found that the electrolyte concentration is the main reason for bubble size variation. Moreover, it was found that the coalescent and noncoalescent behaviors in the bubble column are separated by the transition concentrations of coalescence. The ratio between the electrolyte concentrations and the transition concentration of coalescence (reduced concentration) was used to modify an empirical correlation that describes the experimental behavior of the Sauter mean diameter within an absolute percentage deviation of 10.47%.