Characterization of flooding in a wirz extraction column

Abstract

Abstract The flooding behaviour of a 150‐mm diameter Wirz‐II extraction column has been investigated for six different liquid‐liquid systems. Normally, flooding occurred by phase inversion but when the density difference was low could also occur by entrainment of dispersed‐phase drops at the continuous‐phase exit. Empirical expressions for flooding velocities and holdup at flooding are derived in terms of the operating variables, column geometry and physical properties of the liquid systems.