PROCESS INTENSIFICATION - HIGEE SEAWATER DEAERATION

The background to the development of a rotating packed bed (Higee) dea erator is described. Early experiments with single bubbles were follow ed by visualization tests involving a stationary tower with trays of k nitted mesh 'bubble choppers'. A rotating system was then designed and operated to exploit the high buoyancy forces which could be generated , anti some results are presented. Very high hydraulic capacities can be achieved, so that a 400 RPM rotor capable of treating 500 m(3)/hr o f freshwater and giving 4 transfer units, is ultimately expected to be only 1 m diameter and 1.0 m long. If backmixing can be suppressed the n even higher mass transfer duties can be reached.