Abstract Drop size distribution and mean drop size are used for calculation of interfacial area available for mass transfer. In this study, the drop size distribution and Sauter mean drop diameter (d32) have been investigated using three different liquid systems in the absence of mass transfer in a pilot plant pulsed packed column. The drop size was measured at four different points along the active column height. Three operating variables have been studied including the pulse intensity (af) and flow rates of both liquid phases. The effect of liquid properties and height of the active column were also investigated. A combination of the pulse intensity and interfacial tension had the largest effect on the drop size distribution while none of the flow rates were of significance. The height of the column played an important role at the bottom of the active column, but the associated effect was reduced with increase of the height. Finally, a normal probability function of number density was proposed for prediction of the drop size distribution with an Average Absolute Relative Error (AARE) of 8.8% for their optimized constant. Furthermore, two correlations were presented involving height or flow rates of the two phases along with operating variables and physical properties of the liquids. These correlations had AARE values of about 8.5 and 7.8%, respectively.