Experimental Investigation and CFD Modeling of Hydrodynamic Parameters in a Pulsed Packed Column

In this work, a combination of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and droplet population-balance model (DPBM) in the framework of Fluent was applied to simulate the drop-size distributions and flow fields in a pilot-plant liquid-liquid extraction pulsed packed column. The three-dimensional unsteady-state liquid-liquid flow was modeled using the Eulerian two-fluid equations in conjunction with the realizable k - epsilon turbulence model. The classes method (CM) was chosen for solving population-balance equations. Two models for breakage and coalescence, the models of Luo and Garthe, were used in the CFD code. The model was validated by comparing the simulated drop-size distributions and holdup with experimental measurements. After the validation of the model, the effects of the operating conditions (feed rates and pulsation) on the dispersed phase holdup and drop-size distributions were studied. The results of linked CFD-DPBM model and experiments revealed that the dispersed phase holdup was increased when the organic and aqueous flow rates increased and when the intensity of pulse was increased, the holdup increased. Increasing the dispersed and continuous feed rates caused the Sauter mean diameter of the drops decreased and when the intensity of pulse was increased, because of high droplets break up rate, the Sauter mean diameter decreased. Results of linked CFD-DPBM model show that the CFD-DPBM tool is able to predict hydrodynamic parameters in a pulsed packed column.