Help understanding the problem
 

Hello to everyone!
I'm working in my master, in the modelling of a liquid-liquid extraction column. After 1 year, I finally convinced my leader teacher to change the metodology to be used in the work: from pure fenomenological approach to CFD.
So, I thought could use the OPENFOAM in the work. The column itself has some peculiarities: Two phases (aquous and organic)are addmited in a mixing chamber, and by mechanical agitation, the emulsion is made. This emulsion is fed in a column filled with the organix phase, thru a perforated plate. The aquous phase contains oil and the organic phase is a extractant, so after the mixing (made continously) the organic phase is saturated with the oil, before present in the aquous phase.
By passing thru perforated plate, drops of aquous phase are generated, with organic droplets inside of it. So, the aquous drops (that are transporting the organic droplets) fall by the column, and by density difference, the droplets are ejected from the aquous drops. The organic exit is in the top of the column, where the organic phase exits, saturated with the oil (remember: the organic phase is lighter than the aquous one). The aquous exit is in the bottom of the column, from wich the oil has been removed of that phase.
Honestly, I'm a rookie in the OPENFOAM, and in the forum as well. After a few searches, i believe that the standart solver TwoPhaseEulerFOAM would be the most indicated to use in this work. I believe that I will have to join the two major steps of working of the equipment:
* The drops generation in the mixing chamber, especially the size distribution of the droplets generated by the stirring. (maybe thru a populational balance equations -PBE - or even simulating the size distribution by experimental measurements) . This step could be ignored to make the simulation more easy ( i have just one more year to work :eek:), using just MEAN DIAMETERS (already experimentaly measured);
* The flow itself in the column. This is the most critical step to simulate;
What do you guys think,TwoPhaseEulerFOAM could be used as it came "form factory" or I should implement a whole new solver (again, i have just one more year to work) ?
I'm kinda lost, and I have no one else to help me with, except online forums and stuff (CFD is not very popular yet in my college - I'm working on it ;)). Anyone has bibliographic recomendations, tutorials, and stuff that could be useful? Thanks in advance!