Dissolution in film flow of shear thinning liquid on a horizontal rotating disk

The mass transfer from the surface of a horizontal rotating disk into a film flow of shear thinning liquid on the disk has been theoretically and experimentally investigated. Dissolution of gypsum in two aqueous polymer solutions has been used for the confirmation of the theory. It has been established that the disk speed of rotation is the most important operative parameter, intensifying the mass transfer. The effect of speed increase becomes stronger when the liquid index of rheology decreases. This “synergistic” effect is found to be higher than in the case of gas transfer to/from the film free surface previously reported.A correlation for the mass flux from/to the disk has been derived and its accuracy discussed.