Air-agitated liquid-liquid contactors

Abstract

The values of effective liquid-liquid interfacial area in air-agitated liquid—liquid extraction columns were obtained by the method of liquid extraction accompanied by fast pseudo first-order reaction. Some values of physical mass transfer coefficients were also obtained. Effect of variables such as air rate, height to diameter ratio, the type of gas distributor, the dispersed phase hold up etc., on effective interfacial area was studied. Columns ranging in diameter from 6.6 to 20 cm dia. were used. At any given superficial velocity of air the values of effective interfacial area were found to be independent of the type of air distributor, the height to diameter ratio and the column diameter. Superficial air velocity could probably be used as a criterion for scale-up.