Comparative Analysis of Phase Doppler Interferometry (PDI) Data Obtained in Forward-Scatter and Back-Scatter for Entrainment Applications

Entrainment characterization is critical for a variety of unit operations in the chemical process industry, particularly for distillation and absorption. Liquid entrainment is a key aspect of these applications, and it is usually poorly understood. Therefore, this work utilizes phase doppler interferometry to characterize spray morphology of entrained droplets with particular focus on the back-scatter technique. In addition, this work quantifies the effect of gas saturation on the resulting entrainment. Spray analysis was conducted within a system at controlled conditions using the PDI in forward-scatter and back-scatter configurations. These results were then compared in order to determine the agreement between the two measurement configurations and whether any meaningful correction factor, if necessary, could be developed using comparative data. These bench-scale data are critical because they guide the larger research effort that focuses on obtaining entrainment data at pilot scales using PDI in the back-scatter mode.