Columns spray

The earliest large-scale continuous industrial extraction equipment consisted of mixer—settlers and open-spray columns. The vertical stacking of a series of mixer—settlers was a feature of a patented column in 1935 (96) in which countercurrent flow occurred because of density difference between the phases, avoiding the necessity for interstage pumping. This was a precursor of the agitated column contactors which have been developed and commercialized since the late 1940s. There are several texts (1,2,6,97—98) and reviews (99—100) available that describe the various types of extractors. 

Fig. 12. Unagitated column extractors (a) spray column (b) packed column and (c) perforated-plate column.

Fig. 4. Multiphase fluid and fluid—solids reactors (a) bubble column, (b) spray column, (c) slurry reactor and auxiUaries, (d) fluidization unit, (e) gas—bquid—sobd fluidized reactor, (f) rotary kiln, and (g) traveling grate or belt drier.

Fig. 24. Effect of residence time and outiet temperature on the chemical and biochemical conversions of skim milk in a spray column, where (—)...

Dislribttlors Most spray columns operate with the drops being formed at the ends of jets from the dispersed phase inlet distributor. The orifices or nozzles for introducing the dispersed phase are usually not smaller than 0.13 cm (0.05 in) in diameter in order to avoid clogging, nor larger than 0.64 cm (0.25 in) in order to avoid formation of... 

Mass Transfer As mentioned earlier, spray columns rarely develop more than 1 theoretical stage due to the axial mixing in the column. Nevertheless, it is necesary to determine what column height will give this theoretical stage. It is recommended by Cavers in Lo et al. Handbook of Solvent Extraction p. 323 and p. 327, John Wiley Sons, New York, 1983 that the following equation be used to estimate the overall efficiency coefficient ... 

There are not many data on the scale-up of spray columns from pilot to industrial scale, so these types of calculations must be used for... 

Pulsed Spray Columns Billerbeck et al. [Jnd. Eng. Chem., 48, 183 (1956)] applied pulsing to a laboratoiy [3.8-cm- (1.5-in-) diameter] column. At pulse amplitude 1.11 cm 6 in), rates of mass transfer improved slightly with increased frequency up to 400 cycies/min, but the effecl was relatively small. Shirotsuka [Kagaku Kogaku, 22, 687 (1958)] provides additional data. There is not believed to be commercial application. 

Liquid Dispersion Spray columns are used with slurries or when the reaction product is a solid. The absorption of SO9 by a hme slurry is an example. In the treatment of phosphate rock with sulfuric acid, offgases contain HF and SiF4. In a spray column with water, solid particles of fluorosilic acid are formed but do not harm the spray operation. The coefficient /cl in spray columns is about the same as in packed columns, but the spray interfacial area is much lower. Considerable backmixing of the gas also takes place, which helps to make the spray volumetri-caUy inefficient. Deentrainment at the outlet usually is needed. 

Figure 8.11 Types of reactors for gas-liquid precipitation, (a) bubbling stirred tank, (b) fiat interface stirred tank, draft-tube bubble column, (d) spray column after Wachi and Jones, 1994)...

Direct contact heal exchangers should be considered whenever the process stream and the coolant are compatible. The equipment used is basically simple and cheap and is suitable for use with heavily fouling fluids. For liquids containing solids, spray chambers, spray columns, and plate and packed columns are used. 

The three primary devices used in this service are (a) open spray columns,(b) packed columns, and (c) tray columns, which are perforated plates, baffle trays, etc. ... 

Use of w/o-MEs for transport in liquid emulsion membrane separations Perforated rotating disk contactor Spray column Packed column... 

The simplest form of extractor is a spray column. The column is empty one liquid forms a continuous phase and the other liquid flows up, or down, the column in the form of droplets. Mass transfer takes places to, or from, the droplets to the continuous phase. The efficiency of a spray tower will be low, particularly with large diameter columns, due to back mixing. The efficiency of the basic, empty, spray column can be improved by installing plates or packing. 

Liquid-liquid extraction is carried out either (1) in a series of well-mixed vessels or stages (well-mixed tanks or in plate column), or (2) in a continuous process, such as a spray column, packed column, or rotating disk column. If the process model is to be represented with integer variables, as in a staged process, MILNP (Glanz and Stichlmair, 1997) or one of the methods described in Chapters 9 and 10 can be employed. This example focuses on optimization in which the model is composed of two first-order, steady-state differential equations (a plug flow model). A similar treatment can be applied to an axial dispersion model. 

Spray cleaning, of metal surfaces, 16 213 Spray coating processes, 7 23, 68-76 economic aspects, 7 75-76 Spray column absorbers, 1 27 Spray cone angle, 23 187 Spray correlations, 23 189-192 Spray deposition, of metal-matrix composites, 16 173 Spray-dried products, 11 542-543 Spray-dried resins, production of,... 

It is difficult to compare the performance of various spray towers since the type of spray distributor used influences the results. Data from Hixson and Scott 33 and others show that KGa varies as G70-8, and is also affected by the liquid rate. More reliable data with spray columns might be expected if the liquid were introduced in the form of individual drops through a single jet into a tube full of gas. Unfortunately the drops tend to alter in size and shape and it is not possible to get the true interfacial area very accurately. This has been investigated by Whitman et a/. 34 , who found that kG for the absorption of ammonia in water was about 0.035 kmol/s m2 (N/m2), compared with 0.00025 for the absorption of carbon dioxide in water. 

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