Computer simulation of separation performance of the horizontal rotating disc extractor for 2-ethyl-1-hexanol/water system

College of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry Technology, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, China

Abstract

The horizontal rotating disc contactor (HRDC) for extraction consists of a mixing chamber and two settling chambers, which enables continuous cycling of the dispersion-mass transfer-separation processes and achieves higher mass transfer efficiency compared to a single equilibrium stage. For O/W emulsion systems, it allowed for continuous separation of the oil phase. In order to further improve the separation performance of the extractor, the structure was optimized by simulating the coalescence and breakup process of O/W emulsions using computer software. A two-dimensional model was established to study the effects of flow rate, droplet size, and wall wettability on coalescence efficiency in kerosene/water systems. The results showed that coalescence efficiency in narrow channels initially increased with flow rate before decreasing, indicating an optimal flow rate exists. When droplet size was smaller than channel dimensions, larger droplets were more prone to coalesce. Additionally, hydrophobic walls exhibited better coalescing effects. These findings provided theoretical support for optimizing HRDC equipment and achieving continuous extraction in different O/W emulsion systems.