Prediction of Drop Breakage in an Ultra High Velocity Jet Homogenizer.

Abstract

A novel ultra high velocity jet device was used to form fine drops of an organic phase in a continuous aqueous stream. Experiments were carried out for different operating conditions including number of passes through the orifice and pressure drops across it. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to map the transient continuous phase jet velocity and the associated energy dissipation rate. The results were verified using a high-speed photographic technique. The CFD predictions of the maximum energy dissipation rate at the jet orifice was combined with a population balance equation to predict the evolution of drop size distributions as a function of the number of passes through the orifice (residence time) and the operating pressure. The results compared well with the experimental data giving confidence in the theoretical predictions.