Method and apparatus for increasing contact area in a multi-phase system

Abstract

The contact area between a first phase of a multi-phase system and a liquid second phase of the system is increased by effecting transient electrical discharges between electrodes immersed in the liquid second phase or in a volume of liquid in acoustic communication with the liquid second phase. The first phase can be in the form of a particulate solid, a gas, or a liquid of lower density than that of the second phase. The first phase is mingled with the second phase by a bubbling technique where the first phase has a lower density than the second phase. The hydraulic shock waves produced by the electrical discharges disperse the bubbles or particles of the first phase in the liquid second phase and thus increase the contact area between the phases. When the electrodes are immersed in a volume of liquid separate from but in acoustic communication with said liquid second phase, these liquids are separated by means of an acoustically transmissive membrane formed from a thin film of stainless steel or from rubber selected such that the product of density (.rho.) and velocity of propagation of sound waves (c) is matched to those of the liquids separated by the membrane. The spacing between the electrodes is adjusted in response to a sensed parameter of the electrical discharges such as to maintain the sensed parameter constant.