Effects of interaction between circulating or oscillating droplets on drop formation, free fall, and mass transfer

Abstract

AbstractThe effects of interaction between circulating or oscillating droplets on drop formation, terminal velocity, and the continuous phase mass transfer coefficient during free fall were studied. To examine the mass transfer coefficient during free fall both end effects were eliminated by subtracting the mass transferred in a short column from that transferred in a long column. A correlation for the prediction of drop volume based on the equations of Scheele and Meister (1968) for non‐jetting drops, and of Meister and Scheele (1969a, 1969b) for drops formed under jetting conditions, has been developed. The terminal velocity of the drops was enhanced by vertical interaction with adjacent drops at values of L/dp < 5. The continuous phase mass transfer coefficient for circulating drops was reduced due to vertical interaction at L/dp < 10; however, for slightly oscillating drops it was not affected by vertical interaction over the range of 1.5 < L/dp < 20. By conducting experiments with single and triple nozzle arrangements, horizontal interaction effects were found to be negligible for both systems.