Mass-Transfer Enhancement or Reduction by Surfactant Presence at a Gas−Liquid Interface

Abstract

We have analyzed the effects of surface-active substances on gas−liquid mass-transfer processes in a carbon dioxide−water absorption process, using a bubble column contactor to bring the two phases into contact. The liquid phases were polluted with surfactant at different concentrations under the critical micelle concentration. The analysis of the influence of liquid-phase contamination on the absorption process was carried out on the basis of the liquid-film mass-transfer coefficient ( k L ), removing the effect caused by the presence of surfactant and the gas flow rate on the interfacial area ( a ) and, thereby, on the volumetric mass-transfer coefficient ( k L a ).