A. Esmaeili - School of Chemical Engineering, University College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran
H. Abolghasemi - School of Chemical Engineering, University College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran
R. Abbasi - School of Chemical Engineering, University College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran

In this work, the solute concentration in a packed column with random packing was modeled. Two different models that are disperse-continuous phase axial dispersion model and continuous phase axial dispersion model are used in order to simulate the behavior of the column for different flow rates. These models are validated by mass transfer tests with n-butanol/ acetic acid/water system. The average deviation of 4.76% and 4.84% between experimental data and nsimulation results in steady state condition were obtained for the models, respectively. The simulation results slightly improve when the effect of dispersion in both phases are included in the models; generally, the results show that the effect of dispersion in continuous phase is more important than the effect of dispersion in disperse phase and the effect of dispersion in disperse phase can be neglected.

Mathematical modeling, Differential equations, Axial dispersion, Liquid–Liquid extraction, Packed column