Prediction of Effective Diffusion Coefficient in Rotating Disc Columns and Application in Design

A rotating disc column (RDC) with inner diameter 68 mm and 28 compartments is used in this study. Parameters including Sauter mean diameter, hold-up and mass transfer coefficient are measured experimentally under different operating conditions. The correlations in literature for molecular diffusion and enhancement factor equation including eddy diffusion, circulation and oscillation of drops are evaluated. A new equation for the effective diffusion coefficient as a function of Reynolds number is proposed. The calculated values of mass transfer coefficient and column height from the previous equations and present equation are compared with the experimental data. The results from the present equation are in very good agreement with the experimental results, which may be used in designing RDC columns.