ENHANCEMENT OF INTERPHASE MASS-TRANSFER BY A PULSED ELECTRIC-FIELD

Studies on mass transfer of benzoic acid from drops dispersed into a c ontinuous phase of mineral oil with high viscosity have been conducted in the presence of a pulse high voltage electric field (150 Hz peak v oltages up to 23 kV). The effects of the pulsed electric field on inte rfacial mass transfer, in terms of peak voltages and power consumption , have been investigated in this particular liquid-liquid two-phase sy stem at two different drop phase now rates and at the ambient temperat ure. The total mass transfer efficiency was significantly enhanced in the presence of the high voltage pulsed electric field. The results in dicate that the application of the pulsed electric field to the drop d ispersion process does not change the fundamental mass transfer mechan isms and the mass transfer during drop free fall can also be described by the existing mass transfer models. The results obtained in this wo rk is also compared with those obtained in the presence of a d.c. elec tric field which indicates that the pulsed electric field is more ener gy efficient in terms of power consumption over the d.c. electric fiel d.