Industrial production of refined sodium bicarbonate proceeds in large-scale bubble columns. The main purpose of the research is to develop a mathematical model for a specific column. In order to characterize the column, several types of measurements (performed at different scales) are presented and analyzed. Consequently, a ID model of the column is constructed including two bubble populations. Closure of the model is done using Computational Fluid Dynamics and experimental data collected on the industrial column. A model of gas-liquid mass transfer is also developed. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.