THE INTERACTION OF SOLUTE TRANSFER, CONTAMINANTS AND DROP BREAK-UP INROTATING-DISC CONTACTORS - PART I - CORRELATION OF DROP BREAKAGE PROBABILITIES

The breakage process of single drops in RDC liquid-liquid extraction c olumns has been investigated. The breakage probability and daughter dr op size distribution were the measured characteristics. Binary systems , non-equilibrated ternary systems with mass transfer in both directio ns (c -->, d and d -->, c) and systems with surface active agent added were used in the experiments. A model of the breakage probability was developed based on a modified Weber number, taking into account the a pplied shearing stress and the resisting interfacial tension farce. It is shown that breakage probability can be estimated if interfacial te nsion is known as a function of interfacial conditions.