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The effect of disperse phase volume fraction on the turbulence in a scale model of a high-pressure homogenizer was studied experimentally. Velocity fields of the continuous phase were measured using particle image velocimetry. Refractive index matching combined with digital filtering enabled measurement with disperse phase present. Geometry and physical properties were carefully scaled in order to ensure turbulent flow and disperse phase modulation comparable to that of a technical high-pressure homogenizer. The results show a widening of the jet downstream of the gap and increased Reynolds stresses in the region of high turbulence intensity. This is consistent with previous experiments under similar conditions. Furthermore, the spectra of turbulent kinetic energy were investigated, indicating that the increase in turbulent kinetic energy is mainly due to an increase in energy of eddies of large length scales.

Since the emulsification in the High-Pressure Homogenizer (HPH) is controlled by hydrodynamic forces, the turbulent flow field in the valve region is of significant interest. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations have been used for this in many studies. However, there are reasons to question if the utilized turbulence models, with their inherent assumptions and simplifications, could accurately describe the influential aspects of the flow. This study compares CFD simulations using the methods from previous studies with experimental measurements in a model HPH valve. The results show that the region upstream of the gap can be described accurately regardless of turbulence model and that the gap region can be captured by using one of the more refined k−ε models. None of the studied turbulence models were able to describe the details of the highly turbulent region downstream of the gap. The obtained results are also discussed in relation to generalizability and limitations in using CFD simulations for understanding the emulsification in the HPH.

Particle image velocimetry is performed on a model of a high pressure homogenizer, scaled for qualitative similarity of the one phase turbulent flow field in a production scale homogenizer. Flow fields in gap entrance, gap and gap outlet chamber are obtained with high resolution. The measurements show gap flow development and formation of a turbulent wall adherent jet when exiting into the outlet chamber. Turbulent kinetic energy spectra show how the turbulent energy available for fragmentation is transported over distance along the jet centre axis. The high resolution images are also used together with a Kolmogorov-Hinze theory framework for discussing drop fragmentation together with a direct evaluation of disruptive stresses from measurements. For the turbulent inertial mechanism large drops experience high fragmenting force close to eight gap heights downstream of the gap exit where as this occurs closer to 20 gap heights for smaller drops. The turbulent viscous mechanism is most efficient at a downstream distance of eight gap heights into the outlet chamber for all drops sizes.

Cavitation is common in high-pressure homogenizers, and has severe negative effects such as noise and mechanical wear, but may also have a beneficial effect in promoting fragmentation. Greater knowledge concerning cavitation in the homogenizer valve is thus important in optimizing the design and utilization of emulsification equipment. The aim of this study was to locate the region of cavitation and to study its dependence on operating conditions. The cavitation in a model of a high-pressure homogenizer is examined in detail. A visualization technique, based on the scattering of light from cavitation bubbles in the flow, has been developed, tested and compared to acoustical measurements. Intense light scattering was observed in the gap of the valve, indicating cavitation bubble growth as well as collapse inside the gap. The scattering intensity increased with increasing inlet pressure and decreased with increasing back pressure.

The emulsification in a high pressure homogenizer was studied using a dynamic simulation model based on the population balance equation. The model includes fragmentation, recoalescence and adsorption of macromolecular emulsifier and uses a simple flow model in order to link the hydrodynamics in the homogenizer to the three physical processes mentioned above. A computer model offers an interesting opportunity to study the effect of model assumptions on the overall outcome of the process. The computer model is also an interesting complement to experiments in this case since internal measurements in the active region of homogenization are very hard to carry out, due to small scales and high forces, and information on the spatial position of the different processes is of great importance in design. Based on a set of assumptions, mainly that the turbulent jet responsible for break-up can be described by a one dimensional model and that the macromolecular emulsifiers hindrance of recoalescence can be described by a wall like repulsion, it is shown that the active region of homogenization can be divided into two zones; a narrow zone with fast fragmentation and nearly no recoalescence in the most intense part of the region followed by a recoalescence zone as drop–drop interactions starts to dominate with decreasing turbulence intensity. The effect of operating parameters is seen to be close to the ones found from experiment. The results are discussed in relation to a flow field obtained by a simplistic CFD and assumptions made about hydrodynamics and emulsifier behavior.

The formation of an oil drop from a single capillary in a continuous phase flowing perpendicular to the capillary opening has been studied numerically. The shear stress at the interface of the forming drop, the angular velocity inside the drop and the pressure field around the drop have been determined in a cross section of the drop formation area. The results show a maximum pressure in the continuous phase near the stagnation point and a maximum shear stress in both phases nearer the top of the forming drop. The lowest pressures were found behind the top of the drop, where the surrounding flow starts to separate from the interface of the drop. The shear stress outside the drop causes a drag which, together with the drag originated from the pressure field around the drop, promotes drop detachment.

In membrane emulsification, especially under conditions where droplets are forming with a narrow droplet size distribution, it is conjectured that the interfacial phenomena are determining the emulsification result. The process parameters of continuous phase flow and dispersed phase flux were analysed from the perspective of how they could be affecting the interfacial tension of the growing droplet. This work first reviews the applicability of current droplet formation models (force balance and spontaneous transformation based (STB)), describes the interfacial transport of surfactant molecules to an expanding oil-water interface, and models the flow of dispersed phase through a pore using MATLAB. The data from these calculations are then applied in a model to predict the final size of the droplets, which includes dynamic effects of mass transfer and expansion rate. The droplet detachment mechanism in membrane emulsification was modelled from the point of view of Gibbs free energy. An interactive finite element program called the surface evolver was used to test the model. A program was written and run in the surface evolver, which allows the user to track the droplet shape as it grows, to identify the point of instability due to free energy, and thus predict the maximum stable volume (MSV) attached to the pore. The final droplet size was found by applying a pressure pinch constraint (PPC), which is based on the division of the surface into two volumes, a droplet and a segment, which remains attached to the pore mouth. The relative size of these two volumes is such that the resulting radii of curvature of the droplet will maintain an equal Laplace pressure across the surface of both volumes. Predicted droplet sizes were compared to experimental data from the literature. It was found that changes in surfactant coverage caused by mass transfer coupled to the expansion rate of the oil-water interface have a significant and predictable effect on the final droplet size in