?MODELLING OF INTERFACIAL CHEMICAL KINETICS AND EQUILIBRIUM TO THE DESIGN OF LIQUID-LIQUID CONTINUOUS CONTRACTORS
Keywords:
Contractor height, Kinetic efficiency, Equilibrium model.Abstract
A laboratory spray column of variable height was used for the extraction of zinc from an aqueous sulphate solution by di
(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (DEHPA) in n-heptane. Three sets of nozzles of different diameters were employed in order
to change the Sauter mean diameter of the dispersed phase. Experiments covered a wide range of concentrations and flow
rates. Experimental results were compared with predictions obtained by using the two design algorithms (one based on the
interfacial chemical kinetics, the other on interfacial equilibrium). Results simulated with the kinetic model were in good
agreement with experiments over the whole range of conditions investigated. the equilibrium model underestimated the
column heights by factors ranging between 0.25 and 0.5.
