Study On Dispersed Phase Behavior In The Modified Scheibel Extraction Column

Scheibel extraction column is a kind of mechanically agitated extraction column, consisting of an alternate series of mixing sections and packed sections in a vertical column. The traditional Scheibel extraction column has disadvantages such as low throughput and heavy backmixing between stages, which reduces stage efficiency. The modified Scheibel extraction column is a new kind of extraction column installing two sieve plates at two ends of every packed section in the traditional Scheibel extraction column, in which backmixing between stages has been reduced. And compared with the traditional Scheibel extraction column, the modified extraction column has advantages such as high mass transfer efficiency, light backmixing and high throughput.Hydrodynamics of dispersed phase in the extraction column, such as holdup, mean drop diameter and residence time distribution, are important for the analysis of the flooding, axial mixing and mass transfer specific area. With these parameters, mass transfer between two phases in the extraction column can be studied and the extraction efficiency can be calculated. So it’s significant for studying the dispersed phase behavior in the extraction column such as the dispersed phase holdup, mean drop diameter and residence time distribution.The influence of rotor speed, dispersed phase flow rate, continuous phase flow rate and physical properties of the liquid-liquid system on the dispersed phase holdup was studied in the modified Scheibel extraction column with the liquid-liquid system n-heptane-water and n-heptane-30wt%aqueous glycerol solution. The results indicated that there was influence of rotor speed, dispersed phase flow rate and physical properties of the liquid-liquid system on the dispersed phase holdup. There was no influence of continuous phase flow rate on the dispersed phase holdup in the experimental ranges. Experiments were also designed to ascertain the main factors for Sauter mean drop size of the dispersed phase in a three-stage modified Scheibel extraction column without mass transfer. They are rotor speed, dispersed phase flow rate, density difference, dispersed phase density, continuous phase viscosity,...