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Impact of Surfactant Chemistry on Bubble Column Systems
Author(s) -
McClure Dale D.,
Deligny Julien,
Kavanagh John M.,
Fletcher David F.,
Barton Geoffrey W.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
chemical engineering and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-4125
pISSN - 0930-7516
DOI - 10.1002/ceat.201300711
Subject(s) - pulmonary surfactant , partition coefficient , chemistry , bubble , defoamer , chromatography , octanol , chemical engineering , mechanics , dispersant , engineering , dispersion (optics) , biochemistry , physics , optics
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.