Simulation of the Fluid Dynamics of Solvent Extraction Columns from Single Droplet Parameters

A droplet population balance model is used to simulate the hydrodynamic behaviour of solvent extraction columns. To reduce the effort invested in experimental scale‐up, single droplet experiments were performed in small‐scale laboratory devices. A Rotating Disc Contactor (RDC) with 5 compartments was used for this purpose. The single droplet movement is investigated by using a light source to reproduce the three dimensional particle trajectories on a two‐dimensional screen. Based on the resulting single droplet parameters, the population balance equation is solved numerically for a RDC column.