Simulation of aerosol formation in gas-liquid contact devices

In gas-liquid contact devices like absorbers, quench coolers, or condensers, aerosols can be formed by spontaneous phase transitions, initiated by homogeneous or heterogeneous nucleation, if a supersaturated gas phase emerges due to simultaneous heat and mass transfer processes or chemical reactions. Typical examples are the absorption of acid gases, like HCl or SO3, the condensation of solvents in the presence of inert gases, and the humidification of cold gases by hot liquids. In this article the basic principles of aerosol formation in contact devices are briefly described. A strategy for modeling and simulation of aerosol formation and particle dynamics is discussed. Simulation results generated with the process tool AerCoDe for the countercurrent absorption of HCl and the humidification of air are presented.