MASS-TRANSFER EFFICIENCY OF A LARGE-SCALE SIEVE TRAY EXTRACTOR

The mass transfer efficiency and phase flow capacity of a 42.5-cm-diameter (i.d.) sieve tray extractor has been investigated. The extraction of acetone from water with toluene was chosen because of the large amount of data for comparison with the performance of other devices, and particularly because of available data for a smaller sieve tray extractor tested in the same laboratory. For capacity studies, the Isopar-m/water system was also used. The performance of the sieve trays was compared with that of sprays and packings in the same column. Important parameters were found to be phase flow rates, flow ratios, and column diameter. Mechanistic hydraulic and mass transfer models, found to correlate well the experimental data, are presented in the paper.