Impact of Surfactant Chemistry on Bubble Column Systems |
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| Authors: | Dale D. McClure Julien Deligny John M. Kavanagh David F. Fletcher Geoffrey W. Barton |
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| Affiliation: | The University of Sydney, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Abstract: | The impact of surfactant addition on the overall holdup, drag coefficient, and bubble size distribution (BSD) in a bubble column operating at industrially relevant superficial velocities was analyzed. A range of surfactants was examined, including alcohols, sugars, and antifoaming agents. It was ascertained that the effect of a surfactant on the holdup and BSD could be related to the chemical structure of the compound, specifically its hydrophilic/hydrophobic nature as characterized by the octanol/water partition coefficient. Addition of 2‐propanol to an air/water system induces a behavior similar to the fermentation media used in aerobic bioprocesses, meaning that such a system can be applied as a meaningful physical analogue in pilot‐scale experimentation. |
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| Keywords: | Bubble columns Drag force Holdup Hydrodynamics Surfactant |
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