A Model for Liquid Film Flow and Separation in a Wave-Plate Mist Eliminator

Wave-plate mist eliminators operate on the basis that liquid droplets impact on the plates, accumulate and form thin films which drain away to remove the liquid. However, the effect of the gas flow on the deposited films can be a factor limiting the operational efficiency of the equipment. In this paper numerical simulations of the motion, and subsequent deposition, of droplets on wave-plate mist eliminator surfaces are carried out and a model for the generation and flow of the liquid film that forms is presented. Two existing models for film separation from a surface are coupled with the predictions of film thickness to provide a method of determining whether, under a given liquid loading, re-entrainment takes place.

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