Chemical Engineering Communications, Vol.140, 183-192, 1996
Drop Formation in Liquid-Liquid Dispersions in a Concentric Tube Inlet
A mixture of kerosene and 5 wt% Calcium Chloride in water was pumped into a tube through a concentric tube inlet. Direct video observation of the dow downstream of the inlet showed kerosene drops being formed by two mechanisms. In the first, which was mainly observed with a short inner nozzle at the inlet, the kerosene drops were stretched into elongated "dumbbell" shapes before breaking into two or more daughter drops. With a longer tube at the inlet, the drops mostly appeared to be formed by a "scooping mechanism, removing small elements of fluid from the surface of larger drops. The scooping process, which has not previously been reported, is suggested to be the result of the continuous phase penetrating into the kerosene drop. The notches observed in the drop surface, as a result of penetration of the continuous phase, appear to meet and form the new drop.