The separation of batch dispersions is affected by the initial turbulence present in the settler
which reduces the initial sedimentation rate and the onset of interfacial coalescence. As the
turbulence decays, these rates gradually increase, giving rise to sigmoidal sedimentation and
coalescence profiles. A model is presented which describes the separation of a dispersion of height
H
0 and holdup ε0 with an initial drop diameter φ0, and interfacial coalescence time τd allowing
for the turbulence decay time t
d and coalescence incubation time t
0. For a given holdup ε0, the
drop diameter φ0 and initial turbulence are themselves functions of the mixing conditions. The
model is used to describe experimental data for both water-in-oil and oil-in-water dispersions
for different liquid−liquid systems ranging from a heavy crude to a water-like model oil. The
effect of physical properties, holdup, initial turbulence, and settler geometry is investigated.
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