SINGLE LIQUID-DROP VELOCITIES AND BREAKAGE MECHANISM IN SECTIONS OF STRUCTURED PACKINGS

Single liquid drop velocities in structured packings have been measure d to aid calculation of throughput of liquid extraction columns using characteristic (single drop) velocities. Solvent drops were passed thr ough two types of glass and two types of steel structured packing and further work was done using sloping glass tubes. Existing wall-effect equations for drop velocity reduction in vertical tubes were considere d and that given by Clift et al. [1] was used as a basis for correlati on of structured packing data. Drop breakage was studied in order to i mprove understanding of drop size distribution development in packed c olumns. Drops broke only rarely within the structured packing; most of the breakage occurred as a drop hit the exposed edges on entry to a p iece of packing. An energy balance equation was used to correlate crit ical conditions for breakage of drops hitting glass blades at various angles. Under the conditions used all those drops moving at terminal v elocity had enough energy to break but a condition exists when drops m ay be small enough to have insufficient energy to break.