WETTABILITY EFFECTS OF PLATE MATERIALS ON HYDRODYNAMICS IN A PULSED PERFORATED-PLATE EXTRACTION COLUMN OF PULSER FEEDER TYPE

Liquid-liquid-plate contact angles of several plate materials were measured using the preferential wetting method proposed by the authors. The work of adhesion (I-SL), which was calculated using these contact angles, was utilized to evaluate plate wettability. Experimental results indicated that different plate materials affect plate wettability. Both required pulse velocity and required hole diameter for a basic design of a perforated-plate were obtained. The plate wettability of stainless steel was observed to be different in an aqueous phase compared to an organic phase. The axial holdup distribution in a pulsed column using several perforated-plate materials and types was also measured. An empirical correlation of overall holdup was obtained as a function of the plate wettability. The nozzle effect was explained by the different proportionality-constants in the empirical correlation.