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Effects of surfactants on hydrodynamics and mass transfer in a split‐cylinder airlift reactor
Author(s) -
Moraveji Mostafa Keshavarz,
Pasand Mohamad Morovati,
Davarnejad Reza,
Chisti Yusuf
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.20516
Subject(s) - airlift , pulmonary surfactant , mass transfer , mass transfer coefficient , chemistry , sodium dodecyl sulfate , bubble , chemical engineering , chromatography , analytical chemistry (journal) , bioreactor , organic chemistry , mechanics , physics , engineering , biochemistry
Abstract Effects of various concentrations (0–5 ppm) of anionic (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) and non‐ionic (Tween‐80 and Triton X‐405) surfactants on gas hold‐up and gas–liquid mass transfer in a split‐cylinder airlift reactor are reported for air–water. Surfactants were found to strongly enhance gas hold‐up. Non‐ionic surfactants were more effective in enhancing gas hold‐up compared to the anionic surfactant SDS. An enhanced gas hold‐up and a visually reduced bubble size in the presence of surfactants implied an enhanced gas–liquid interfacial area for mass transfer. Nevertheless, the overall gas–liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient was reduced in the presence of surfactants, suggesting that surfactants greatly reduced the true liquid film mass transfer coefficient and this reduction outweighed the interfacial area enhancing effect. Presence of surfactants did not substantially affect the induced liquid circulation rate in the airlift vessel.