Interfacial area and mass transfer in gas†liquid cocurrent upflow and countercurrent flow in reciprocating plate column

The volumetric mass transfer coefficient and the interfacial area were measured for carbon dioxide absorption into water using a reciprocating plate column of plate geometry different from a Karr column. The specific interfacial area was governed by a change in bubble size at low agitation rates and by a variation in gas holdup at high agitation rates. The liquid phase mass transfer coefficient was strongly influenced by the agitation rate, the phase velocities and the plate geometry. Copyright © 1990 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering