MEASURING TECHNIQUE FOR DROP DIAMETERS IN THE mu m-RANGE IN LIQUID-LIQUID DISPERSIONS.

Liquid-liquid dispersions occur in many fluid-dynamic processes, e. g. , in liquid-liquid extraction. The scientific and engineering treatment of the separation of liquid-liquid dispersions by drop coalescence must be based on the single drop diameter and on the drop size distribution of the droplet swarm respectively. Especially for micro-dispersions of drop sizes below 100 mu m the experimental determination of drop diameters turns out to be difficult. This paper introduces a measuring method which is based on the analysis of Fraunhofer's diffraction patterns. This method was chosen because it allows drop size measurements from drop sizes of about 2 mu m up to 800 mu m which can be done in a fast and easy way.