Drop Breakup in Turbulent Stirred-Tank Contactors. Part II: Relative Influence of Viscosity and Interfacial Tension.

Abstract

The relative influence of dispersed-phase viscosity and interfacial tension on equilibrium drop size and drop size distribution is studied for dilute suspensions by dispersing various silicone oils in water, methanol, and their solutions. Correlations for Sauter mean diameter, D_32, are developed in terms of syatem variables using the mechanistic models of Part I. Drop sizes for low to moderate viscosity dispersed phases are normally distributed in volume and can be correlated by normalization with D_32. Trends in the distributions are explained in terms of a parameter representing the relative resistance to breakage.