Experimental and numerical investigations of aerosol transportation phenomena from single bubbles

Abstract

Enhanced aerosol transportation is required in numerous industrial applications. Typically, bubble columns are used for achieving mass transfer. However, limited studies have been conducted on the aerosol mass retention capability of single bubbles in bubble columns. This study focused on aerosol transportation resulting from the flow field inside single bubbles. First, the aerosol mass transfer efficiency of a single bubble was measured to be used as benchmark data. The results revealed that inertial force was the dominant factor for aerosol transportation within the present measurement conditions. Next, a Eulerian gas–liquid–solid three-phase model was developed to understand the mechanism of aerosol transportation and was subsequently experimentally validated. Finally, a parametric analysis of aerosols and bubble diameters was conducted to investigate the mass transportation phenomena of aerosols of various diameters. The effect of various bubble diameters on aerosol retention was explained by the effect of the flow field on the local mass transfer coefficient. The results of the study provide guidelines for the development models to predict the emission rate of hazardous materials in bubble columns.