Helical tube reactors (HTRs), utilizing the secondary flow to intensify chemical processes,, have been applied in many fields. The increasing application of liquid-liquid two, phases systems in HTRs necessitates a knowledge of liquid-liquid dispersion performance. In this work, a novel HTR, which comprised two main parts, i.e. a pre-dispersion unit and a helical tube, was designed for the liquid-liquid dispersion processes. The pre-dispersion unit was a straight tube packed with nickel foam elements, used to adjust the mean droplet diameter of the dispersed phase for the HTR. Effects of various parameters, such as the number and pore diameter of nickel foam elements, volumetric flow ratio, and curvature ratio on the pressure drop and liquid-liquid dispersion were experimentally investigated by using a water/Tween 80/cyclohexane system. According to the results of the pressure drop, the relationship between Sauter mean diameter (SMD) and mean energy dissipation rate was discussed. In addition, a correlation is established to predict the SMD in the HTR. Corresponding empirical correlations were d(32) = 145 epsilon(-0.3)(m) for the energy dissipation rate and SMD, and by d(32)/D-m = 0.80We(c)(-0.32)De(-0.24)n(e)(-0.15)psi(0.68) for the SMD in function of the relevant properties of the system, respectively.