LIQUID CURTAINS .2. GAS-ABSORPTION

The absorption of mass by a liquid curtain is determined both analytical and numerically as a function of the Froude and Peclet numbers, pressure difference, convergence parameter, initial thickness-to-radius ratio and nozzle exit angle. Two analytical methods have been used. The first one considers the finite thickness of the liquid curtain, whereas the second method calculates the mass absorption rate by assuming that the curtain is a semi-infinite medium. The mass absorption rate was also determined numerically by accounting for the velocity distribution across the liquid curtain. The results of the two analytical methods agree very well with the numerical results for high Peclet numbers; however, the predictions of the semi-infinite medium approximation are inaccurate at low Peclet numbers and for positive nozzle exit angles. It is shown that the mass absorption rates are mainly a function of the liquid curtain convergence length and thickness, and increase as the Froude number, convergence parameter and nozzle exit angle are increased, but decrease as the pressure coefficient, initial thickness-to-radius ratio and Peclet number are decreased. © 1990.