Volatilization characteristics of organic solutes in stirred solution

The effects of turbulence intensity (velocity gradient, G (s⁻¹)), Henry's law constant (H), and molecular weight (M) on the volatilization rates of organic compounds are examined using changes in the mass transfer coefficients (K_OL (cm/min)) under specific liquid-mixing intensities. The selected compounds were divided into three groups according to their H values (mole in gas/mole in liquid, dimensionless), which ranged from 10² to 10⁻⁵. The relationship of the K_OL relative to G, H and M was obtained via multiple regression. The obtained values of these parameters indicate that the primary factor affecting the K_OL values of the high H compounds is their M values. The effects of the H values on the K_OL values of the high H compounds can be neglected. On the other hand, the H value is the major factor determining the K_OL values of the low H compounds. The changes in the K_OL values of the different H compounds exhibit different profiles as the liquid-mixing intensity increases. The M and H values of middle H compounds possibly affect their K_OL values. The effects of the liquid-mixing intensity on the K_OL values of the organic compounds increase with increasing H values. The variation in the K_OL values might be a result of the concentration of the organic compounds at the interface between the liquid and gas films. The empirical relationship between K_OL and some selected parameters, G, H and M, is examined in this study. The obtained results can help to estimate volatilization loss of organic solutes in wastewater treatment facilities.