Buoyancy-driven convective flows have a substantial effect On the performance of the froth layer in flotation cells, particularly when wash water is applied, but are relatively poorly understood. This study presents some experiments on convective flows in a foam undergoing forced drainage. A flat cell was used to create a planar foam, and a dye tracer was used to reveal the flow patterns, which were digitally imaged. The eddy scales and mixing behaviour of the flows are assessed using several different metrics, and their dependence on liquid and gas flow rates in the foam is assessed and compared. Finally, the implications of these findings for the effectiveness of wash water in flotation froths are discussed. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.