Bubble Column with Electrolytes: Gas Holdup and Flow Regimes

Experiments were performed in a laboratory scale bubble column, to investigate the effect of electrolytes (inorganic salts) on the behavior of bubbly mixtures. Aqueous solutions of three salts were studied, Na2SO4 (p.a. grade), NaCl (p.a. grade), and NaCl (kitchen quality). The gas holdup was measured, and the prevailing flow regime was determined. A simplified method for determining the regime transition based on the spline function was suggested and successfully tested. The main goal was to find whether the dual effect of the electrolyte on the gas holdup and homogeneous regime stability reported earlier for CaCl2 occurs also with other compounds. We confirmed this dual effect for two more solutions. The measurements with NaCl (p.a. grade) were most likely corrupted by salt crystallization inside the orifices of the perforated plate.