Cold Modelling of Two Phase Separation in a Rotary Holding Furnace

A cold model of a rotary holding furnace was studied using water and a kerosene-LIX973N organic mixture which are immiscible. The residence time distribution obtained showed that there was an optimum depth of the upper layer of organic where mixing with the bath fluid was maximised. The use of air bubblers showed that at low air flow rates, the air curtain acted to limit mixing but as the air flow rates increased, the circulation caused by the air flow increased mixing. The flow of the feed was found to behave similar to a gravity current where the feed preferentially moved along the liquid-liquid interface.