Application of a bubble column for evaporative cooling and a simple procedure for determining the latent heat of vaporization of aqueous salt solutions.

In this work we have studied the evaporative cooling effect produced in a continuous flow air bubble column, containing water and salt solutions. We have established that, at equilibrium, a significant reduction in temperature is produced in an insulated, continuous flow, bubble column. For example, with a continuous flow of inlet air at 22 degrees C, a water bubble column cools to about 8 degrees C, at steady state equilibrium. The cooling effect observed in a continuous bubble column of concentrated aqueous salt solution could be used for commercial applications, such as for evaporative cooling systems. We have developed a simple method, based on the steady state thermal energy balance developed in a bubble column, to determine the latent heat of vaporization of the liquid in the column. Only the equilibrium temperature of the bubble column, the temperature of the inlet gas and the hydrostatic pressure across the column need to be measured. This analysis has been used to determine the heat of vaporization for water and some concentrated salt solutions.