Jonas Schulz, Philipp Aziz, Hans-Jörg Bart

• The fundamental differences in hydrodynamics of the froth and spray regime account for the ongoing interest in search for the point of phase inversion. This short communication presents a new approach for identification of phase inversion on sieve trays in terms of an image-based measurement technique. Image analysis of entrained droplets reveals a distinct increase in Sauter mean diameter and droplet frequency during phase inversion. Further measurement methods like pressure drop, gravimetric analysis of entrained liquid, froth height assessment and photographic observation of the flow regime serve as a reference value and complement the discussion. A flow map based on the experimental data comprises each regime and shows a good agreement with phase inversion correlations from literature.