Dispersed-Phase Holdup and Characteristic Velocity in a Pulsed and Nonpulsed Disk-and-Doughnut Solvent Extraction Column

Abstract

The dispersed-phase holdup and characteristic velocity, which are important hydrodynamic performance parameters for solvent extraction columns, were measured and compared to literature correlations under pulsing and nonpulsing conditions using a 75 mm diameter disk-and-doughnut column. The results show that the dispersed-phase holdup increased with increasing dispersed-phase flow rate, while there was no noticeable change in holdup with the continuous-phase flow rate. With increasing pulsation intensity from zero, the dispersed-phase holdup decreased at first and then increased. A minimum holdup was found in the transition from the mixer-settler to the emulsion regime, and it increased with ..