Mass transfer coefficients in a Kuhni extraction column

Mass transfer performance has been presented for a 117 diameter Kuhni extraction column using axial diffusion model for two different liquid-liquid systems. The influence of operating variables including the rotor speed as well as the continuous and dispersed phase flowrates on the volumetric overall mass transfer coefficients is investigated. Effective diffusivity is substituted for molecular diffusivity in the Grober equation for prediction of dispersed phase overall mass transfer coefficients. The enhancement factor is determined experimentally and there from an empirical correlation is derived for prediction of enhancement factor in terms of Reynolds number and dispersed phase holdup. The prediction of overall mass transfer coefficients from the presented equation is in good agreement with experimental data. (C) 2014 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.