Hydrodynamic and mass transfer characteristics of asymmetric rotating disc extractors

Abstract

Asymmetric rotating disc contactor (ARDC) offers potential advantages in having comparable mass transfer coefficient (k_Ca̲) and lower back mixing over the conventional rotating disc contactor (RDC). In the present work, measurements of dispersed phase hold-up (∈_D), effective interfacial area (a̲), continuous phase mass transfer coefficient (k_Ca̲) and axial dispersion coefficient for the dispersed as well as continuous phase have been performed in 80 mm and 150 mm i.d. ARDC over a wide range of operating variables and physical properties. From these measurements, the values of slip velocity and sauter mean drop diameter (d_3,2) have been estimated. Suitable correlations have been proposed for ∈_D, V_S, k_Ca̲, a̲, k_C, d_3,2, Pe_C and Pe_D. The results on true mass transfer coefficient (k_C) have been compared with those published in the literature.