Identification of the Interfacial Surface in Separation of Two-Phase Multicomponent Systems

Abstract

The area of the contact surface of phases is one of the main hydrodynamic indicators determining the separation and heat and mass transfer equipment calculations. Methods of evaluating this indicator in the separation of multicomponent two-phase systems were considered. It was established that the existing methods for determining the interfacial surface are empirical ones, therefore limited in their applications. Consequently, the use of the corresponding approaches is appropriate for certain technological equipment only. Due to the abovementioned reasons, the universal analytical formula for determining the interfacial surface was developed. The approach is based on both the deterministic and probabilistic mathematical models. The methodology was approved on the example of separation of two-phase systems considering the different fractional distribution of dispersed particles. It was proved that the area of the contact surface with an accuracy to a dimensionless ratio depends on the volume concentration of the dispersed phase and the volume of flow. The separate cases of evaluating the contact area ratio were considered for different laws of the fractional distribution of dispersed particles. As a result, the dependence on the identification of the abovementioned dimensionless ratio was proposed, as well as its limiting values were determined. Finally, a need for the introduction of the correction factor was substantiated and practically proved on the example of mass-transfer equipment.