Performance characteristics of mechanical foam-breakers fitted to a stirred-tank reactor

摘要

In a stirred-tank reactor (STR), a comparison of the performance of mechanical foam-breakers: a six-blade turbine (F-B), a six-blade vaned disk (V-D), a two-blade paddle (T-P), a conical rotor (C-R), a fluid-impact dispersion apparatus (FIDA) and a rotating disk mechanical foam-breaker (MFRD) was carried out using defined foaming media. The foam-breaking ranges (relative to the gas superficial velocity, U-g) of the T-P, C-R and FIDA were inferior to that of the F-B, V-D and MFRD. The power consumption, P-kc, for foam-breaking in the MFRD was the lowest among the F-B, V-D and MFRD. Operation of the F-B and V-D in the STR caused a considerable amount of liquid droplets from the collapsed foam to be entrained with the exhaust air. (C) 2002 Society of Chemical Industry.