Criteria for supersaturation during simultaneous absorption-desorption

Abstract

This paper extends the recent analysis of Shah, Pangarkar and Sharma[1] on the criteria for supersaturation during simultaneous absorption-desorption. Firstly two important chemical systems are considered. Subsequently, the role of the gas phase mass transfer resistance on the supersaturation criteria for both physical and several chemical systems are examined. Finally, the effects of heat liberation at the gas-liquid interface onto the supersaturation criteria for the physical systems are briefly evaluated. The results indicate that the necessary condition for the supersaturation is D_D/D_A < 1 even when gas phase resistance and thermal effects are important. Here D_C and D_A are the liquid phase diffusivities of the desorbing and absorbing components.