Influence of Liquid Viscosity and Gas Superficial Velocity on Effective Mass Transfer Area in Packed Columns

Abstract

The effective interfacial area for chemical absorption in a laboratory column has been reported to be a function of liquid viscosity and gas superficial velocity. In this study, liquid viscosity was varied in the range of 0.95 × 10⁻³ to 4.5 × 10⁻³ Pa·s, while gas superficial velocity encompassed the range of 48.0 × 10⁻³ to 173.0 × 10⁻³ m/s. A transition in the formation of the effective interfacial area was observed and related to the interaction between liquid viscosity and gas flow conditions. A correlation effectively predicting this transition behavior is developed on the basis of the liquid phase capillary number and the gas phase Reynolds number.