Drop formation mass transfer

Abstract

Abstract The mass transfer occurring between a liquid drop during its formation and the surrounding liquid phase was directly evaluated by a photographic technique. Slightly soluble organic drops containing no additional solute were formed in a continuous aqueous phase so that only the continuous phase resistance existed. Effects of nozzle diameter and both phase flow rates were evaluated and the possible influence of surfactant was investigated. Mass transfer coefficients were observed to decrease sharply with time early in the formation period. This, together with the parameteric study of dispersed phase feed rate, indicates the strong effect of internal drop convection for this high Schmidt number system. The measured coefficients are substantially higher than would be expected for free drops.