The size distribution and the entrainment of liquid droplets in air water system are determined in two different cylindrical drums with the wide range of the average air velocity of 0.02-2.0 m/s. In addition, the effects of the submerged perforated plates on the size distribution of droplets are investigated with the range of 0.1-0.5 m/s.
The liquid entrainment and the critical height are affected by the ascending velocity of air, the height from the water level and the diameter of drum. Plotting the size distribution of droplets with the submerged perforated plates on Rosin-Rammler diagrams and the histograms showing the same distribution show that the maximum diameter of droplets decreases, the number of small droplets reduces and the size distribution becomes uniformly as compared with those determined without the plates.
From these results, the improvement of separators is expected by using the submerged perforated plates.
The minimum air velocity passing through the holes of plates, at which these effects are detected, is about 2-3 m/s. This value coincides with the critical velocity forming the steam cushion under the perforated plate recommended by M. A. Styrikovich et al.