Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Drop-interface coalescence rate in tertiary amine solvent extraction. Draft

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5961937

This paper develops the conceptual framework for the study of drop-interface coalescence in collapsing liquid/liquid dispersions and presents the details of the experimental setup employed. The method for the determination of drop-interface coalescence rate requires the measurement of the average volume of drops (anti v/sub f/) adjacent to the interface, their number (n) per unit area of interface, and disperse phase throughput (Q) per unit area. Recording videomicrography was employed for measurement of anti v/sub f/ and n, while Q is found from the changing position of the major interface as the dispersion band collapses (batch mode). Experimental results are presented for 0.1 M trioctylamine in o-xylene vs 0.1 M HCl, 0.9 M LiCl. Successive batch phase-mixing runs (1:1 phase ratio) using this system produced reproducible results. Wall effects were found to be negligible. Results indicated that the changing throughput observed in batch experiments is brought about not only by drop size growth rates, but also by drop packing behavior and the fact that drop-interface coalescence rate changes with time. Drop-interface coalescence rate increased from 0.16 to a maximum value of 0.95 s/sup -1/ at 49 s (break occurred at 63 s). The collapse of the dispersion band was described in terms of five separate stages based on throughput behavior and the patterns of drop growth and drop-interface coalescence rate.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
5961937
Report Number(s):
CONF-830633-8-Draft; ON: DE85007579
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English