Description of interaction processes in agitated liquid-liquid dispersions

Prince and Blanch [273] report that the model of Coulaloglou and Tavlarides [244] delivers break-up rates that are several orders of magnitude smaller than their experimental results, and claim that Coulaloglou and Tavlarides did not take the density of the liquid phase into account.

“However, they report that the model of Coulaloglou and Tavlarides [244] delivers break-up rates that are several orders of magnitude smaller than their experimental results [273]. Prince and Blanch claim that Coulaloglou and Tavlarides did not take the density of the liquid phase into account.”

Coulaloglou and Tavlarides [244] proposed a breakage model based on turbulent flow conditions, assuming locally isotropic turbulent flow, energy spectrum proportional to the power of -5/3 to the wavenumber k, negligible viscous effects, and local pressure fluctuations leading to drop deformation.

“They proposed a breakage model based on turbulent flow conditions. The turbulent flow is assumed to be locally isotropic, the energy spectrum function is proportional to the power of -5 3 to the wavenumber k , viscous effects are negligible, and local pressure fluctuations lead to a drop deformation.”

The main assumption of the Coulaloglou and Tavlarides model is that an oscillating drop fragments if the turbulent eddies that hit the fluid particles possess an amount of kinetic energy greater than the drop surface energy, and it is assumed that the droplet sizes formed after breakage follow a normal density distribution function.

“The main assumption of their model is that an oscillating drops fragment if the turbulent eddies that hit the fluid particles posseses an amount of kinetic energy greater than the drop surface energy. It is assumed that the droplet sizes formed after the breakage follow a normal density distribution function.”

Coulaloglou and Tavlarides [244] assume that colliding droplets must remain in contact for a sufficiently long time so that drainage, film rupture, and coalescence may occur.

“In the coalescence model of Coulaloglou and Tavlarides [244] it is assumed that colliding droplets must remain in contact for a sufficiently long time, so that the processes of drainage, film rupture, and coalescence may occur.”

In Coulaloglou and Tavlarides [244], turbulent eddies may separate droplets and hinder coalescence.

“During the coalescence process, turbulent eddies may separate droplets and hinder coalescence.”

Tsouris and Tavlarides [275] proposed a modification of the Coulaloglou and Tavlarides model [244].

“Tsouris and Tavlarides [275] proposed a modification of the Coulaloglou and Tavlarides model [244].”

An expression for the collision rate of drops can be formulated assuming locally isotropic turbulent flow and that collisions among drops resemble collisions among molecules.

“An expression for the collision rate of drops can be formulated assuming locally isotropic turbulent flow and that collisions among drops resemble the collisions among molecules, similar to what happens in the kinetic theory of gases.”