MASS-TRANSFER ENHANCEMENT OF ACETIC-ACID ACROSS A PLANE KEROSENE WATER INTERFACE BY AN ELECTRIC-FIELD

The intensification of mass transfer of acetic acid from kerosene into water across a plane interface by the application of an electric fiel d normal to the interface is investigated. The application of an elect ric field affects mainly mass transport through the bulk of the organi c phase rather than the interface. In the range (5-30)x10(4) V/m the m ass transfer coefficient changes from 8x10(-6) to 2x10(-5) m/s. A mode l based on the movement of electric charges in the organic phase indic ates that a Sherwood-Grashof correlation for free convection only is a lso suitable for the electrically driven process if the Grashof number is modified to take into account the effect of the electric field on the movement of the electric charges.