Turbulence effects on volatilization rates of liquids and solutes.

Abstract

Volatilization rates of neat liquids (benzene, toluene, fluorobenzene, bromobenzene, ethylbenzene, m-xylene, o-xylene, o-dichlorobenzene, and 1-methylnaphthalene) and of solutes (phenol, m-cresol, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, and ethylene dibromide) from dilute water solutions have been measured in the laboratory over a wide range of air speeds and water-stirring rates. The overall transfer coefficients (K(L)) for individual solutes are independent of whether they are in single- or multi-solute solutions. The gas-film transfer coefficients (kG) for solutes in the two-film model, which have hitherto been estimated by extrapolation from reference coefficients, can now be determined directly from the volatilization rates of neat liquids through a new algorithm. The associated liquid-film transfer coefficients (kL) can then be obtained from measured K(L) and kG values and solute Henry law constants (H). This approach provides a novel means for checking the precision of any kL and kG estimation methods for ultimate prediction of K(L). The improved kG estimation enables accurate K(L) predictions for low-volatility (i.e., low-H) solutes where K(L) and kGH are essentially equal. In addition, the prediction of K(L) values for high-volatility (i.e., high-H) solutes, where K(L) approximately equal to kL, is also improved by using appropriate reference kL values.