<title>Droplet size distributions in waveplate demisters using optical techniques</title>

Abstract

Droplet separators or demisters are extensively used in the chemical industry. The effectiveness of many demisters is decisively affected by droplet sizes. As the misty gas passes through the demister, the liquid droplets impinge on the walls and form a liquid film. A part of this film can be re-entrained by the gas flow in the form of larger droplets. These droplets can escape the demister, affecting its efficiency. The measurement of drop size distributions inside the zigzag passages of the demister can provide useful information about the complex flow phenomena occurring within the demister. In the present work, a wave plate demister of the industrial dimensional specifications has been chosen to investigate the drop size distributions at various flow conditions. The laser diffraction technique has been employed for this purpose. This paper describes the suitability of the technique and presents some laser results to describe the effect of changing flow conditions inside and outside the demister.