Mass transfer in a large bubble column.

Abstract

Values of the liquid-phase volumetric coefficient of mass transfer kLa in a large bubble column, 550 cm in diameter and 700 cm in liquid depth, were obtained from experimental data for carbon dioxide desorption from water, on the assumptions of perfect mixing in the liquid phase and piston flow or perfect mixing in the gas phase. The liquid-phase mass transfer coefficient kL was separated from kLa, using the data10) on gas holdup and the bubble diameter obtained with the same column. Values of kLa were in good agreement with a previous correlation1) based on data with small bubble columns, provided that perfect mixing was assumed for both gas and liquid phases. Values of kL ranged from 0.01 to 0.05 cm per second and were not affected appreciably by column size. The relationship between kL and bubble diameter was roughly similar to that in small columns, although bubbles in the present experiments were somewhat larger than in small columns.