Drop formation mass transfer coefficients in extraction columns

Mass transfer coefficients (MTC) of single liquid drops during drop formation period, in the presence and absence of down flow of the continuous phase, were measured in an extraction column. The effects of formation time, needle size, and flow rates of the continuous and dispersed phase were evaluated experimentally. It was found that the drop size increases with increasing formation time and decreasing down flow of the continuous phase. The mass transfer coefficients are the largest in the initial stages of drop formation when convection is the most significant. Both flow rates have a significant effect on the rate of the mass transfer, and the convection caused by the dispersed phase flow is more important than the continuous phase. The mass transfer coefficient and the degree of extraction increase with increasing down flow rate of the continuous phase.