OPTIMIZED VALUES FOR A SIEVE PLATE PULSED COLUMN FOR ACETIC ACID, WATER AND KEROSENE SYSTEM

An experimental study was conducted using sieve plate pulsed column. Correlations were developed among different variables with the help of data obtained from operation of the pulsed column in polynomial form. These correlations could be utilized to get an optimum value for acetic acid, water, kerosene system. Flow rate of solvent, concentration of aqueous solution of acetic acid and pulsation frequency were taken as independent parameters; whereas concentration of acid in extract phase (CE2) and in raffinate phase (CR1), percentage equilibrium and height of transfer units (HTU) were treated as dependent parameters. A significant effect of pulsation frequency and flow rates of both the streams have been observed on the concentration of extract, raffinate, percentage equilibrium and height of transfer units. Pulsation frequency of 56 (cycles/min) was found critical beyond which a gradual change in all the profiles were observed.