Absorption and desorption mass transfer rates in non-reactive systems

Liquid phase mass transfer coefficients have been measured in a controlled environment during gas absorption into a liquid and gas desorption from a liquid in a batch operated stirred tank reactor over a wide range of operating conditions. At identical operating conditions, the mass transfer coefficients for absorption and desorption appear to be the same within the reported experimental uncertainty. The desorption mass transfer coefficients depend, in the same manner as the absorption mass transfer coefficients, on the physico-chemical and the dynamic properties of the system, and can thus be related by the Sherwood. Reynolds, and Schmidt numbers. Desorption mass transfer processes can be further described by the well-known film theory, the penetration theory, the surface renewal theory, etc. in the same manner as absorption mass transfer processes. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved.