Experimental and Numerical Investigations of Single Drop Mass Transfer in Solvent Extraction Systems with Resistance in Both Phases

Numerical simulation of transient mass transfer to a single drop controlled by the internal resistance or by the resistance in both phases was mathematically formulated and simulated in a boundary-fitted orthogonal coordinate system. The siumlated results on the transient mass transfer dominated by the internal resistance are in good agreement with the Newman and Kronig-Brink models for drops with low Reynolds number. When the drop Reynolds number is up to 200, the mass transfer coefficient from numerical simulation is very low as compared with the Handlos-Baron model.The cases with mass transfer resistance residing in both the continuous and drop phases were simulated successfully and compared with the experimental data in three extraction systems recommended by European Confederation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE).For single drops with Re<200, the numerically predicted values of the extraction fraction and overall mass transfer coefficient are in reasonable coincidence with the experimental data.It is concluded that the numerical simulation can be resorted in some cases of solvent extraction for conducting numerical experiments and parametric study.Nevertheless, for better resolution as higher Reynolds number drops are simulated,more sophisticated techniques should be developed and incorporated to deal with the large deformation and transient shape oscillation as well as possible Marangoni effect.

Numerical simulation of transient mass transfer to a single dropcontrolled by the internal resistance or by the resistance in bothphases was mathematically formulated and simulated in aboundary-fitted orthogonal coordinate system. The simulated resultson the transient mass transfer dominated by the internal resistanceare in good agreement with the Newman and Kronig-Brink models fordrops with low Reynolds number. When the drop Reynolds number is upto 200, the mass transfer coefficient from numerical simulation isvery low as compared with The Handlos-Baron model.