A high-pressure homogenization emulsification model—Improved emulsifier transport and hydrodynamic coupling

The high-pressure homogenizer emulsification modelling framework by Håkansson et al. (2009a, Chemical Engineering Science 64, 2915–2925; 2009b. Food Hydrocolloids 23, 1177–1183), is further developed in this study. The model, including the simultaneous fragmentation of drops, coalescence of drops and kinetic adsorption of macromolecular emulsifiers, is improved with regard to two points. First, the transport of adsorbed emulsifier between drops of different sizes due to the fragmentation and coalescence of drops, is included using bivariate population balances. Second, the coupling of hydrodynamics to the emulsification model is improved using information from recent hydrodynamic investigations. The proposed framework is exemplified using a set of physically reasonable kernels and a production scale high-pressure homogenizer geometry, showing realistic emulsification results.

► A model for predicting emulsification in a high-pressure homogenizer is developed.
► Included sub-processes are fragmentation, coalescence and emulsifier adsorption.
► Transport of emulsifier is included using a bivariate PBE model.
► The hydrodynamic coupling is based on an experimentally fitted model.
► A specific example is shown. It agrees with general experimental trends.