Studies on Separation of Liquid‐Liquid Dispersions: Diesel‐Water System in Batch Settler

In this article, batch settling of liquid‐liquid dispersion in a vertical batch settler was comprehensively studied. The experiment results of the investigation on liquid‐liquid batch settler phase separation were compared with a well predefined physical model proposed by Jeelani and Hartland [1998, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 37: 547–554] using a semi theoretical approach. The effect of initial dispersion height, initial hold‐up volume, settler diameter, and mixing time on separation of batch liquid‐liquid dispersions were experimentally investigated in terms of variation in the final settling time and coalescing interfaces with time. From the present work it was found that, final separation time varied as polynomial function of degree 2 with respect to initial dispersion height and was constant with respect to initial hold‐up volume. Final separation time also varied according to the completeness of dispersion achieved with respect to the mixing time. The experimental data obtained showed a good correlation with the theoretically predicated values. Results allow the use of experimental procedure with the mathematical model as a tool in monitoring the dispersion behavior in commercial units on industrial importance.

Keywords:

• Dispersions
• batch‐settler
• diesel
• water
• coalescing
• sedimentation