Chemie Ingenieur Technik, Vol.71, No.1-2, 52-61, 1999
Aerosol formation during absorption processes - Causes and solution strategies
If a gas phase contains inerts or components with a wide range of volatility then supercooling may occur during an absorption or partial condensation process. The resulting supersaturation can lead to aerosol formation in the presence of condensation nuclei. During the production and processing of chemical products aerosol formation can lean, far instance, to corrosion, non-fulfilment of specifications, or catalyst poisoning. Aerosol separators often represent a costly problem solution because they consume energy and require additional investment, whereas the avoidance of aerosol formation, if possible, represents a cost-favourable alternative, In this article, the causes of aerosol Formation are analysed and four strategies for solving the problem of aerosol formation are developed. Industrial aerosol problems are considered to illustrate how these strategies can be implemented in practice.