Abstract

The quantification of overall mass transfers in gas–liquid systems depends on the spatial evolution of the relevant variables close to the interface of the two phases. When turbulence is present (in the present study the turbulence is considered in the liquid phase), the methods of treating the problem consider the differential form of the momentum and mass conservation equations. The continuous hypothesis that underlies these equations in principle allows verifying the limiting trends very close to the interface. Because the theoretical concepts of turbulence are defined using statistical tools, the mentioned verification depends on the intrinsic definitions used in the statistical approach. In this study the turbulent mass transfer parameters are calculated for the thin region close to the interface based on the tool of random square waves (RSW). Theoretical results are obtained and analyzed in the context of existing experimental data and conceptual discussions of the literature, using a constant ‘reduction function’, a parameter defined in this methodology. The results of the present analysis show that the RSW method allows obtaining functional trends, as well as indicate the adequacy of using a variable reduction function to better represent reality.