Process intensification of foam fractionation by successive contraction and expansion

作者：Li Xueliang^*; Evans Geoffrey M; Stevenson Paul

来源：Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 2011, 89(11A): 2298-2308.

DOI：10.1016/j.cherd.2011.04.009

• Foam fractionation
• Interfacial adsorption
• Drainage
• Contraction
• Expansion

Enrichment in foam fractionation is enhanced by reducing the liquid flux while maintaining the flux of bubble surfaces. We show that it is possible to do so in a continuous foam fractionation column by inserting a plate into the foam layer and forcing the foam through a narrower tube (foam riser) mounted at the centre of the plate. A 35% reduction in liquid flux was observed by using a single plate-foam riser assembly in a foam stabilised by 0.52 g/L sodium dodecyl sulphate solution, and the liquid rejected from the foam due to the presence of the foam riser had the same concentration as the feed solution. However, due to the nature of the adsorption isotherm of SDS, the enrichment enhancement measured in the experiments hererin was modest. The mechanism of the foam riser plate was explained by invoking recent theoretical studies on pneumatic foam. It was demonstrated that the reduction in liquid flux was affected by sudden expansion of the flow area causing a rejection of interstitial liquid to the top of the plate and extracted, whence it was recycled back to the feed. Preliminary experiments on the effect of liquid pool depth and foam height on interfacial adsorption were also carried out to demonstrate that the insertion of the plate does not affect the adsorption of the target substance to the bubble surface in the current system. It was found that equilibrium could be achieved within 0.2 m of liquid pool depth or foam height, however the equilibrium surface excess on a rising bubble in the liquid pool is roughly 51% of the equilibrium value on a quiescent interface, while that in the foam layer is roughly 73% of the equilibrium value on a quiescent interface.

• 出版日期2011-11