From Single Droplet to Column Design

The technique state to design counter-current extraction columns is based on the performance of pilot plant experiments. The modelling is then either with the equilibrium or dispersion model, whereas in the latter the dispersion coefficient accounts for all hydrodynamic non-idealities. A new approach uses single droplet experiments to obtain the basic laws and functions governing droplet breakage, coalescence, relative velocity, and axial dispersion when using droplet populance balance models (DPBM). The hydrodynamics simulation results show that the mean Sauter diameter, hold-up, and concentration profiles could be well predicted, which promotes the use of DPBM models for further applications in industrial scale.