Effect of pH and time on hydrodynamic properties of dodecylamine

Gas holdup and froth height in the presence of dodecylamine (DDA, pKa = 10.63) are reported at three pH values. The results revealed a strong time effect for DDA: stability was reached at pH 3; not at natural pH, for example, gas holdup declining to the water only value; and at pH 11, while stability was reached quickly gas holdup was now less than in water alone indicating coalescence. In the first two cases, the time effect is attributed to loss of amine from the system as molecular amine, observed at natural pH as precipitates on the column wall. An argument for precipitation at pH < pKa is presented. At pH 11, coalescence is attributed to the oily nature of the molecular amine present as colloidal aggregates. Noting a difference in literature steady state gas holdup data at natural pH, it is speculated that varying steady states can be reached that corresponds to different levels of amine loss.