Abstract for presentation at Chemeca 2005

Particle Production in Monodisperse Emulsions

  • Richard Dombrowski, Division of Chemical Engineering, University of Queensland, Australia
  • Dr James Litster, Division of Chemical Engineering, University of Queensland, Australia
  • Dr Yinghe He, School of Engineering, James Cook University, Australia
  • Dr Norman Wagner, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Delaware, United States

    • Crystallization from monodisperse emulsions was investigated as a method for controlling the crystal size distribution (CSD) of lactose crystals. Lactose crystals exhibit growth rate dispersion which typically leads to a broad CSD from bulk crystallization. In the emulsion crystallization system each drop has a limited amount of lactose to crystallize, limiting the maximum crystal size. Microfluidic T-junctions were used to produce lactose solution-in-silicone oil emulsion drops with narrow size distribution. A long microfluidic channel or length of Teflon tubing downstream from the T-junction was used as a plug-flow crystallizer. Drops were produced with mean diameters from 131 to 165 microns with coefficients of variation for the drop size distributions from 2.3 to 4.0%. Coalescence and the slight solubility of water in silicone oil leads to a broadening of the drop size distribution downstream in the crystallizer. The CSD of lactose crystals produced using the microfluidic emulsion crystallizer is compared to the CSD obtained from bulk and stirred emulsion crystallizations.

    Conference Organiser - ICMS Pty Ltd