Prediction of mass transfer coefficients in an asymmetric rotating disk contactor using effective diffusivity

Mass transfer characteristics have been investigated in a 113 mm diameter asymmetric rotating disk contactor of the pilot plant scale for two different liquid–liquid systems. The effects of operating parameters including rotor speed and continuous and dispersed phase velocities on the volumetric overall mass transfer coefficients are investigated. The results show that the mass transfer performance is strongly dependent on agitation rate and interfacial tension, but only slightly dependent on phase flow rates. In this study, effective diffusivity is used instead of molecular diffusivity in the Gr?ber equation for estimation of dispersed phase overall mass transfer coefficient.The enhancement factor is determined experimentally and there from an empirical expression is derived for prediction of the enhancement factor as a function of Reynolds number. The predicted results compared to the experimental data show that the proposed correlation can efficiently predict the overall mass transfer coefficients in asymmetric rotating disk contactors.     

A correlation for dispersed phase axial mixing coefficients in rotating disc contactors

A correlation for the estimation of dispersed phase axial mixing coefficients in terms of all the operating and fundamental variables was established. The proposed correlations are found to be a good representation of the present data (260 data points) obtained using four liquid‐liquid systems from two different sources. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Dispersed-phase holdup and mass transfer in a rotating disc contactor with perforated skirts

Dispersed-phase holdup and extraction efficiency were measured in a pilot-plant scale rotating disc contactor (RDC) with perforated skirts (RDCS) with kerosene-o-cresol-water system. The data for the RDCS were examined using the data in this work and the available correlations proposed for the plain RDC. A comparison between the data measured in the RDCS and those in the RDC indicated that the RDCS has rather better extraction efficiency compared with the RDC.     

Hydrodynamic and mass transfer parameter correlations for the rotating disc contactor

The normal, fragmented manner in which various model hydrodynamic and mass transfer parameters are measured and correlated separately, in the vain hope that accurate predictions of extraction column performance will be eventually possible, is avoided here. The ‘forward mixing’ model parameters are all determined simultaneously, in experiments with two sizes of rotating disc contactor where all required measurements, including drop size distributions and continuous phase profile compositions, are made during solute transfer between phases. Accurate predictions from the derived correlations of dispersed phase hold-up fraction, drop size distributions and extraction efficiency are the result.     

Deacidification of corn oil by solvent extraction in a perforated rotating disc column

The deacidification of corn oil by continuous liquid-liquid extraction was investigated in a rotating disc column. The solvent was ethanol containing approximately 6% water. The influence of rotor speed, oil phase flow, and column geometry upon the dispersed phase holdup and the mass transfer efficiency was studied. The dispersed phase holdup increased with the increase of rotor speed and oil phase flow. Pratt's equation was used for calculating the characteristic velocity. An inverse relation was observed between the characteristic velocity and rotor speed, which is different from data previously reported in the literature. The estimated volumetric mass transfer coefficients increased as rotor speed and oil phase flow increased. The experimental results proved that it is feasible to obtain a refined oil with an oleic acid content less than 0.3 wt% by continuous solvent extraction. They also indicated that the corresponding loss of neutral oil was less than 5 wt%. Such value for the loss of neutral oil is significantly lower than the results reported in the literature for alkali or physical refining of corn oil.     

新型转盘萃取塔研究开发与工业应用

采用激光多普勒测速仪(LDV)和计算流体力学(CFD)软件,对转盘萃取塔(RDC)内的单相流流场进行了测量和模拟。发现塔内存在沟流和级间的旋涡流动,级间返混严重,为此发明了一种装有级间转动挡板的新型转盘萃取塔(NRDC)。NRDC与传统的RDC的区别在于安装了设计独特的转动挡板。这些转动挡板安装在2个转盘之间,固定在转动轴上,并与固定环处于同一水平面。LDV测量和CFD模拟结果发现,NRDC可有效抑制沟流和级间旋涡流动。传质实验和流体力学表明,NRDC的传质效率比RDC高20%—40%,而液泛速度大致相当。成功地将NRDC用于引进RDC的扩能改造和新塔的设计中。     

Hydrodynamics and mass transfer performance of rotating sieved disc contactors used for reversed micellar extraction of protein

The extraction of protein by continuous liquid-liquid extraction was investigated in a rotating disc contactor (RDC) and a rotating sieved disc contactor (RSDC) with and without stators. Hydrodynamics and mass transfer performance for reversed micellar extraction of lysozyme in RDC/RSDC I and RSDC II have been investigated. The dispersed phase holdup has increased with the increase of rotor speed. Pratt's equation was used for calculating the characteristic velocity. An inverse relation was observed between the characteristic velocity and rotor speed. The estimated overall mass transfer coefficient was increased by increasing the rotor speed. For an extraction column, the overall hydrodynamics and mass transfer performance can be judged by a volumetric utilization factor. At high rotor speeds, volumetric utilization factor for RSDCs is higher than that of RDC. The RSDC II has been successfully applied in reversed micellar extraction of protein.     

A new model of mass transfer in a rotating disc contactor

A new model of oxygen transfer using a rotating disc contactor, half immersed in wastewater in a trough, is presented. The boundary-layer theory is used to estimate the liquid-film thickness on the disc while submerged. The oxygen transfer rate calculated from the model showed good agreement with observations, hence showing improvement compared to the previous model which has not been supported by observations.     

Computation and measurements of mass transfer and dispersion coefficients in fluidized beds

Conventional design of circulating fluidized beds requires the knowledge of dispersion and mass transfer coefficients, expressed in dimensionless forms as Sherwood numbers. However, these are known to vary by five or more orders of magnitude. Furthermore, the Sherwood numbers for fine particles reported in the literature are several orders of magnitude lower than the Sherwood number of two for diffusion to a single particle. We have shown that by replacing the particle diameter in the conventional Sherwood number with cluster or bubble diameter, the modified Sherwood number is again of the order of two.We have also shown that the kinetic theory based computational fluid dynamics codes correctly compute the dispersion and mass transfer coefficients. Hence, the kinetic theory based computational fluid dynamics codes can be used for fluidized bed reactor design without any such inputs.     

Prediction of axial mixing coefficients in rotating disc and asymmetric rotating disc extraction columns

The correlation of axial mixing in the continuous and dispersed phases of rotating disc and asymmetric rotating disc columns is presented. Published experimental results on continuous-phase axial mixing for both single- and two-phase flows, obtained with tracer injection methods and by solute concentration profiles, are considered. The correlation developed is based on 1055 data points for 32 liquid systems obtained by 19 different investigators. The axial mixing in rotating disc columns is found to be up to 20% larger than in asymmetric rotating disc columns. Data for the dispersed phase are harder to correlate than those for the continuous phase. Since the available results are often contradictory, the correlation for the dispersed-phase coefficient is thus less accurate than that for the continuousphase coefficient.     

Characterization of hydrodynamic parameters in a multistage column contactor

Accurate knowledge of hydrodynamic parameters is of major importance for the performance study of liquid-liquid column extractors. The effects of operating parameters on dispersed phase holdup profiles, drop size distributions, and axial mixing in both phases were investigated in a 127 mm diameter multistage contactor of pilot plant scale for the toluene-water physically equilibrated system. Correlations for the mean holdup, the mean drop size, and the continuous phase backmixing were obtained. A stronger dependence of holdup and drop size on the operating conditions and especially on the agitation speed was observed as compared to previous investigations for the same type of contactor. The axial mixing for the single phase flow was found to follow adequately an existing correlation, while the continuous-phase axial mixing in two-phase flows showed some deviations from other existing correlations. Also, flooding criteria, important for the control of the extraction process, were determined based on the shape of the holdup profiles.     

Modeling and simulation of mass transfer in near-critical extraction using a hollow fiber membrane contactor

In this study is presented a general methodology to predict the performance of a continuous near-critical fluid extraction process to remove compounds from aqueous solutions using a hollow fiber membrane contactor. The stabilization of the gas-liquid interface in the membrane porosity and a high surface area to contact both phases represent some of the advantages that hollow fiber contactors offer over conventional contactor devices for the extraction of compounds from liquid feeds.A mathematical model has been developed integrating a resistances-in-series mass transfer system that takes into account boundary layers, membrane porosity and thermodynamic considerations with mass balances of the membrane contactor. Simulation algorithms were easily implemented with low calculation requirements.The system studied in this work is a membrane based extractor of ethanol and acetone from aqueous solutions using near-critical CO₂. Predictions of extraction percentages obtained by simulations have been compared to the experimental values reported by Bothun et al. [2003a. Compressed solvents for the extraction of fermentation products within a hollow fiber membrane contactor. Journal of Supercritical Fluids 25, 119-134]. Simulations of extraction percentage of ethanol and acetone show an average difference of 36.3% and 6.75% with the experimental data, respectively. More accurate predictions of the extraction of acetone could be explained by a better estimation of the transport properties in the aqueous phase that controls the extraction of this solute.When the model was validated, the effect of the configuration and the operating parameters was studied and local mass transfer resistances were evaluated. The proposed approach allows the evaluation of the relevance of membrane hydrophobicity for extraction in solutions under different thermodynamic conditions. This original methodology based on well-known phenomenological equations represents a general approach which could be applied in other processes using membrane contactors with different configurations.     

基于均龄理论高效计算萃取塔轴向混合分布

在验证了CFD单相流场模拟的基础上,采用均龄理论计算了中试转盘塔内的轴向混合分布,并将计算结果和理论平均停留时间以及组分输运模型计算值进行对比。结果表明:均龄理论能准确预测转盘塔内的轴向混合信息,且其计算时间只需数十秒,远小于传统组分输运模型所需的两周时间,具有低计算量的特点;同时均龄理论克服了传统组分输运模型无法模拟轴向混合空间分布的缺陷,为萃取塔内部结构优化提供了更多信息,是一种高效的模拟方法。后续均龄理论模拟结果的分析预示着转盘塔内的流动近似呈现出级内全混、级间平推的特点,符合萃取操作的需求;而相对于转盘间良好的混合作用,静环间存在明显的流动死区,造成一定的非理想性,其结构有待于进一步的优化。     

生物转鼓反应器氧转移特性及运行效能

采用一种研制的新型生物转鼓反应器(RDBC),内部装填MBBR悬浮填料,通过调节浸没深度和转速可实现厌氧、缺氧、好氧等工况条件下运行,其氧总体积传质系数K_La可达25.87 h^-1,动力效率可达228.62g·(kW·h)^-1。利用生物转鼓分段进水后置反硝化工艺处理模拟生活污水,结果表明:在进水流量6 L·h^-1(HRT 18 h),好氧生物转鼓反应器浸没高度比2/3、转速8 r·min^-1、DO 3.0 mg·L^-1,缺氧生物转鼓反应器浸没高度比5/6、转速4 r·min^-1、DO 1.0 mg·L^-1,进水流量分配比3:1,进水COD、NH₄⁺-N和TN浓度平均值分别为385.0、38.0和38.0 mg·L^-1时,COD、NH₄⁺-N和TN去除率分别达到90.4%、93.7%和80.9%,出水水质可满足我国《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》(GB 18918-2002)一级A排放标准要求。     

错流旋转填料床的质、热同传性能及传热机理研究

为了研究错流旋转填料床的质、热同传性能,采用热空气-氨水体系,考察了进气温度T、超重力因子β、液体喷淋密度q和气速u对错流旋转填料床传热性能的影响,在相同实验条件下对比了丝网填料和乱堆填料的传热性能。研究结果表明：气相体积传质系数k_ya_e、体积传热系数(Ua)_s随进气温度、超重力因子、气速、液体喷淋密度的增大而增大;传热效率ε、传热面积A随超重力因子、气速、液体喷淋密度的增大而增大;传热系数K随超重力因子、气速、液体喷淋密度的增大几乎不变,从而揭示了错流旋转填料床强化气液直接传热的机理是通过提高传热面积进而提高体积传热系数,而不是显著提高传热系数。在相同条件下,以丝网为填料时k_ya_e和(Ua)_s分别是乱堆填料的1.09~1.63倍和1.24~3.53倍。     

Influence of dissolved hydrocarbons on volumetric oxygen mass transfer coefficient in a novel airlift contactor

Hydrocarbon compounds are sparsely soluble in aqueous systems but, nonetheless, their presence can influence significantly mass transfer behavior in gas-liquid systems. water-p-xylene and water-p-xylene-naphthalene mixtures were employed in order to determine the influence of dissolved hydrocarbons on mass transfer of oxygen from air bubbles to water. The surface renewal-stretch model has been modified for predicting the volumetric mass transfer coefficient, (K_La)_h, in the presence of surface contaminant molecules, including hydrocarbon compounds and surfactants. Theory and experimental oxygen transfer results were found to be in satisfactory agreement with average absolute deviation of 15%. Pendant drop and contact angle measurements by axisymmetric drop shape analysis were carried out to determine the reduction in surface tension of water due to the addition of p-xylene and naphthalene. Molecular orientation caused by instantaneous attraction of the polar moieties of the organic compounds toward the water interface has been found to be the main cause of reduction in surface tension. It was predicated that changes in gas-liquid mass transfer behavior resulted from surface contamination and that the significant parameter was the reduction in surface tension.     

Effect of surfactants on liquid-side mass transfer coefficients

In the present paper, the effect of liquid properties (surfactants) on bubble generation phenomenon, interfacial area and liquid-side mass transfer coefficient was investigated. The measurements of surface tension (static and dynamic methods), of critical micelle concentration (CMC) and of characteristic adsorption parameters such as the surface coverage ratio at equilibrium (s_e) were performed to understand the effects of surfactants on the mass transfer efficiency. Tap water and aqueous solutions with surfactants (cationic and anionic) were used as liquid phases and an elastic membrane with a single orifice as gas sparger. The bubbles were generated into a small-scale bubble column. The local liquid-side mass transfer coefficient (k_L) was obtained from the volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k_La) and the interfacial area (a) was deduced from the bubble diameter (D_B), the bubble frequency (f_B) and the terminal bubble rising velocity (U_B). Only the dynamic bubble regime was considered in this work (Re_OR=150-1000 and We=0.002-4).This study has clearly shown that the presence of surfactants affects the bubble generation phenomenon and thus the interfacial area (a) and the different mass transfer parameters, such as the volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k_La) and the liquid-side mass transfer coefficient (k_L). Whatever the operating conditions, the new k_La determination method has provided good accuracy without assuming that the liquid phase is perfectly mixed as in the classical method. The surface coverage ratio (s_e) proves to be crucial for predicting the changes of k_L in aqueous solutions with surfactants.     

Dynamics of droplets and mass transfer in a rotating packed bed

To do further research on the mass‐transfer mechanism in rotating packed bed (RPB), dynamics of droplets in a RPB are studied by an analytical approach combined with a series of laboratory measurements. Based on the results of the fluid dynamics, mathematical models of mass‐transfer coefficient and mass‐transfer process in RPB are proposed, respectively. Mass‐transfer experiments in RPB are also carried out using ethanol–water solution. By comparison, the results of simulation agree well with that of the experiment, which demonstrate that both hydrodynamic model and mass‐transfer models can better describe the real conditions of RPB. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 2705–2723, 2014     

The Interaction of solute transfer,contaminants and dro break-up in rotating disc contactors: Part II. The coupling of the mass transfer and breakage processes via interfacial tension

In order to investigate the influence of solute transfer and of surface active agents on the drop breakage process in liquih liquid extraction columns, their effect on the interfacial tension has to be studied in detail. The difficulty encountered is that the interfacial tension during solute transfer continuously changes and that no simple apparatus is commercially available which can measure these varying interfacial tension values. An attempt has been made here to theoretically predict them. The equations developed to predict the interfacial tension variation can be combined with a model for the breakage process and hence drop size distributions can be calculated from stage to stage. Applying a new combined film mass transfer coefficient model which takes into account the effect of contaminants, single drop extraction performance has been calculated for simplified conditions of constant bulk concentration in the continuous phase. Calculated efficiencies have been compared with experimental data and a good simulation of contaminant effects and dependency on drop size has been found. The calculations were restricted to low dispersed phase hold-up values, so that coalescence effects could be ignored. This work provides the required support for a procedure to be applied to counter-current flow extraction columns.     

Determination of the interfacial area and mass transfer coefficients in the Taylor gas–liquid flow in a microchannel

The interfacial area in the Taylor (slug) gas–liquid flow in a microchannel was measured by the Danckwerts' (chemical) method, using CO₂ absorption from the CO₂/N₂ mixture into KHCO₃/K₂CO₃ buffer solutions, containing NaOCl as a catalyst. The rate of absorption was determined and the Danckwerts' plots were constructed. Reasonable agreement with the geometrical area measured photographically was obtained. This fact allowed to determine for the first time the mass transfer coefficients separately for liquid film and liquid caps. A correlation for the calculation of mass transfer coefficients has been proposed.