ABSTRACT
A rotary disk contactor (RDC) has been used to investigate the mass recovery of essential oil (EO) in the waste water from hydro-distillation of the spearmint plant by using n-hexane. Amount of mass recovery indicates a proper performance of the RDC. Results show that an increase in rotor speed, dispersed phase flow rate, and nozzle size lead to the mass recovery enhancement. A new correlation has been developed adopting response surface methodology through a Box–Behnken design for the prediction of the mass recovery as a function of rotor speed, dispersed phase flow rate, and nozzle size.
Nomenclature
N | = | Rotor speed (rpm) |
dr | = | Rotor diameter (m) |
ds | = | Inner stator diameter (m) |
D | = | Column diameter (m) |
H | = | Column height (m) |
hc | = | Compartment height (m) |
di | = | Drop size (mm) |
Vc | = | Superficial velocity of continuous phase (m/s) |
Vd | = | Superficial velocity of dispersed phase (m/s) |
Q | = | Volumetric flow rate |
ω | = | Mass fraction |
Mw | = | Molecular weight |
Subscript
C | = | Continuous phase |
D | = | Dispersed phase |
I | = | Component number |
* | = | Final concentration or saturated value of concentration |
Greek letters
Φ | = | Hold-up |
Ρ | = | Density (kg/m3) |
Σ | = | Interfacial tension between two phases (N/m) |