Hydrodynamics and Mass Transfer in a Lab‐Scale Stirred‐Pulsed Extraction Column

An extraction column with energy input through simultaneous stirring and pulsation allows for efficient countercurrent extraction on lab‐scale. While stirring generates small droplets with a narrow droplet size distribution, pulsation supports the axial transport of the dispersed phase, enabling countercurrent flow on this small scale. By studying the influence of several operating parameters, fundamental mechanics and characteristics of the column are revealed. Increasing the stirrer speed leads to smaller droplets and higher extraction performance as well as lower maximum throughput. The maximum throughput is increased by raising the pulsation intensity.