BACKGROUND: In order to improve the performance of a counter-current bubble column, radial variations of the gas hold-ups and mean hold-ups were investigated in a 0.160 m i.d. bubble column using electrical resistance tomography with two axial locations (Plane 1 and Plane 2). In all experiments the liquid phase was tap water and the gas phase air. The superficial gas velocity was varied from 0.02 to 0.25 m s(-1), and the liquid velocity varied from 0 to 0.01 m s(-1). The effect of liquid velocity on the distribution of mean hold-ups and radial gas hold-ups is discussed. RESULTS: The gas hold-up profile in a gas-liquid counter-current bubble column was determined by electrical resistance tomography. The liquid velocity slightly influences the mean hold-up and radial hold-up distribution under the selected operating conditions and the liquid flow improves the transition gas velocity from a homogeneous regime to a heterogeneous regime. Meanwhile, the radial gas hold-up profiles are steeper at the central region of the column with increasing gas velocity. Moreover, the gas hold-up in the centre of the column becomes steeper with increasing liquid velocity. CONCLUSIONS: The value of mean gas hold-ups slightly increases with increasing downward liquid velocity, and more than mean gas hold-ups in batch and co-current operation. According to the experimental results, an empirical correlation for the centreline gas hold-up is obtained based on the effects of gas velocity, liquid velocity, and ratio of axial height to column diameter. The values calculated in this way are in close agreement with experimental data, and compare with literature data on gas hold-ups at the centre of the column. (C) 2010 Society of Chemical Industry