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Mass transfer experiments were carried out in an annular pulsed disc-and-doughnut column (APDDC) using 30% (v/v) TBP-kerosene + uranium nitrate + nitric acid + water system (uranium nitrate system) for both extraction and stripping processes. Parameters in the axial dispersion model (ADM) and plug-flow model (PFM), namely, the axial dispersion coefficient of the continuous phase and the number of mass transfer units, were regressed by correlating the respective model with the experimental concentration profile. The mass transfer coefficient is calculated, and new correlations are developed to predict the axial mixing coefficient of the continuous phase and the volumetric mass transfer coefficient. The height of a transfer unit is also calculated. The influence of axial mixing on mass transfer performance for the uranium nitrate system is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The annular pulsed disc-and-doughnut column (APDDC) is an important extraction contactor used in the PUREX process. In this work, hydraulic investigation was carried out in a stainless-steel APDDC, with 30% (v/v) tributyl phosphate (TBP)-kerosene + uranium nitrate + nitric acid + water as the test system. Two operation modes with aqueous phase and organic phase as the continuous fluid were performed separately. The equations, which were previously developed for 30% TBP-kerosene + nitric acid + water system in aqueous phase continuous operation mode, were presently used to predict the holdup, the Sauter drop diameter, the flooding holdup, the flooding throughput, and the operating regimes in both operation modes. Good agreement with the experimental data was observed because the wettability of the dispersed phase on the internals in both the operation modes was similar with that in the aqueous phase continuous operation mode in the previous work. An exception is the flooding properties of the organic continuous operation mode because of a different flooding mechanism. And so new equations were proposed to calculate the flooding properties for the organic continuous operation mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the previous work of the hydraulic, axial mixing, and mass-transfer performance of an annular pulsed disc-and-doughnut column (APDDC), the effects of scaling-up on its performance were studied in APDDCs with different annular space widths. The effect of scaling-up on holdup was discussed, and a more universal correlation was established. The effect of scaling-up on the Sauter drop diameter could be expressed by the previous obtained correlation. The effects of scaling-up on both the flooding holdup and throughput were mainly reflected in the correlation of the Sauter drop diameter. The equations of operating regimes were also independent of the scaling-up effect as demonstrated by experimental data. The scaling-up effects on the axial-dispersion coefficient of the continuous phase, the mass-transfer coefficient, and the height of a transfer unit were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The annular pulsed disc-and-doughnut column (APDDC) is an important type of extraction equipment in the PUREX process, which has been used in several commercial reprocessing plants. As there are few mass transfer experimental results reported in the literature, the axial mixing and mass transfer performance of an APDDC was studied for both extraction and stripping processes in the present work. Two parameters in the axial dispersion model (ADM), namely, the axial dispersion coefficient of the continuous phase and the number of mass transfer units, were regressed by correlating ADM with experimental concentration profiles. The influence of flow rate and pulsation intensity on these parameters was also investigated. Models developed for the PDDC were tested for correlation with APDDC experimental data and suitable models and conditions were determined. The height of a mass transfer unit was also calculated, which highlights the impact of axial mixing on mass transfer performance. Moreover, the influence of internal wettability on mass transfer performance was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The annular pulsed disc-and-doughnut column (APDDC) is an important type of solvent-extraction equipment used in the PUREX process. Though it has been used in several commercial reprocessing plants in the world, there are few research results reported in the literature. In the present work, experiments were carried out in a stainless steel annular pulsed disc-and-doughnut column with aqueous phase and organic phase as the continuous fluid separately. The air-purge method was used to measure parameters including the two-phase densities, column weight, and two-phase interface location, which were fed back to a computer for column control. The holdup and Sauter drop diameter, the latter of which was calculated based on the gravitational settling model, are correlated as functions of the operating conditions (such as pulsation intensity, total flux, and flow ratio). Flooding holdup and throughput were determined experimentally and found in good agreement with those predicted by the model of the Sauter drop diameter. Based on the experimental data, operating regimes are divided referring to existing models. In addition, the effects of internal wettability on the hydraulic characteristics are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]