Air bubble holdup in quiescent wood pulp suspensions

Abstract Air bubbles were injected into the bottom of a column filled with an aqueous suspension of wood pulp fibers to permit measurement of the probability that the bubbles escape the fiber network to reach the surface. Escape probabilities were measured as functions of bubble volume, pulp consistency (weight fraction of fibers), and pulp type. For a given consistency, larger bubbles rose through the column whereas smaller bubbles were held …