Effect of different contaminants on the α-factor: Local experimental method and modeling

This study has clearly shown that the presence of these contaminants affects the bubble generation phenomenon, the interfacial area (a) and the different mass transfer parameters, such as the volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa) and the liquid-side mass transfer coefficient (kL). The contamination of surfactants, even in small quantities, has shown the most significant effects. The determination of the α-factor in terms of interfacial area (αa) and kL coefficient (αkL) was applied to understand details of the differences of the overall α-factor. The liquid surface tension and the α-factor as αa and αkL prove to be crucial for predicting the changes of α-factor in the mixture of various contaminants.