This paper examines the role of physical properties (interfacial
tension, the viscosity of the dispersed and continuous phase, density
difference, and solubility), and process conditions (flow rate, phase
ratio, and temperature) on the drop size and entrainment in a static-mixer
settler setup. Two extraction systems were investigated, that is,
caprolactam–toluene–water and ethylbenzene (EB)−α-methyl
benzyl alcohol (MBA)–water/NaOH (pH = 12). Depending on the
system, the entrainment increased by a factor of 5–7, because
of a change in the physical properties induced by changing the concentration
of caprolactam and MBA. Different entrainment trends were observed
for the two systems with phase ratio and temperature. The differences
are explained by the drop break-up mechanisms reported in literature.
The phase ratio effect resulted from on one hand turbulent attenuation
and increased coalescence, and on the other hand increased shear and
hindered settling at high phase ratios. The temperature influence
was determined by its counteracting effects on the interfacial tension
and the viscosities of continuous and dispersed phases.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.