Analysis of Flow Development Due to Marangoni Convection in a Mass Transfer System

Abstract

Surface tension gradients influence the mass transfer rate of purification processes, like distillation and adsorption, performed e.g. in a packed column. The Marangoni-effect is responsible for minute convective movements at the gas-liquid interface which increase the mass transfercoefficient. Moreover surface tension gradients can increase the contact area between gas and liquid. From measurements¹ it was found that the number of transfer units, the degree of performance of the transfer process, can be increased by a factor up to 3 by surface tension effects.