Conclusions, Summary, and State of Knowledge

It is obvions that coalescence is a complex phenomenon. Here we have focused on creating an overall understanding rather than presenting an exhaustive literature review. We apologize for the omission of important studies not reported. We conclude this section by reiterating some important points and by providing additional practical observations. 

One must consider whether coalescence is desirable or undesirable for the application. 

Although it is difficult to apply the fundamental equations of this section, it is useful to use them to determine the effects that variables have on coalescence rates. 

There are regions close to the impeller where dispersion predominates. For scale-up under geometrically similar conditions, the effective dispersion volume shrinks with increasing vessel size. 

There are large regions in a vessel where coalescence can occm. Gentle agitation promotes coalescence because it provides for longer contact times enabling more film drainage to take place. 

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