Design and Analysis of a Novel Air Bubble Curtain for Mixing and Aeration in Process Vessels

This article focuses on designing and analyzing a new method for mixing in process vessels. We propose using an air bubble curtain to accomplish the desired mixing. The air bubble curtain used in this study is made of an empty pipe with several holes through which air is pumped, which in turn produces a swarm of bubbles that causes pseudo-turbulent mixing in the tank filled with a liquid solution. A uniform distribution of bubbles within the tank was assured by maintaining a see-saw movement of the air bubble curtain. Mixing inside the tank was quantified by measuring the salt concentration in a laboratory model tank (30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm) and a pilot-scale tank (200 cm x 100 cm x 100 cm). The optimal flow rates of air and the mixing time in both tanks that can achieve complete mixing were obtained from the experimental results. The proposed air bubble curtain can be of potential use in wastewater treatment, biotechnology, and aquaculture where turbulent mixing is required with minimum energy dissipation per unit mass.