Seyyed Jaber Safdari - Nuclear Science Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute
Meisam Torab-Mostaedi - Nuclear Science Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute
Farzad Torabihokmabadi - Nuclear Science Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute

The flooding behavior of a pilot plant Hanson mixer-settler extraction column with seven stages has been investigated for two different systems in with and without mass transfer conditions. The effects of agitation speed, interfacial tension and solute concentration on flooding were examined. It was observed that flooding occurred by phase inversion because density differences of the liquid systems were high. The results showed that the throughput decreased with increase in agitation speed and the holdup at flooding point increased by increasing agitation speed. Also it was observed that when the direction of mass transfer was from dispersed phase to continuous phase, the throughput increased by increasing solute concentration. Finally it was found that the maximum throughput increased with increase in the interfacial tension.

flooding, holdup, phase inversion, Hanson extraction column, mass transfer