Studies on the hydrodynamic properties in Φ38 standard pulsed sieve-plate extraction column

In this paper, the axial mixing of the continuous phase, the droplet diameter and the holdup of the dispersed phase have been studied in a Φ38 mm standard pulsed sieve-plate extraction column, in which 30% tributyl phosphate (TBP)/kerosene is used as the dispersed phase phase, and water is the continuous and KCl in water is adopted as the tracer. The residence time distribution (RTD) curves have been measured through stimulus-response technique, and the axial mixing coefficient is evaluated by the weighted moment method. It is found that the axial mixing coefficient and the holdup increase with the increase of the two phases or the pulse intensity. However, the droplet diameter decreases as the the superficial velocities of the two phases or the pulse intensity increase. Moreover, the empirical correlations of the holdup and the droplet diameter have been fitted. (authors)