Liquid Liquid Extraction
Liquid Liquid Extraction
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solute: species we aim to recover (A) from the feed
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feed or “feed solvent”: one of the liquids in the system (“carrier”)
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solvent: MSA (by convention: the “added” liquid)
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extract: solvent (not solute) mostly present in this layer.
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yE,A = concentration of A, the solute, in extract.
We aim for the solute (A) to be mostly in the extract stream.
raffinate: residual solute in this layer = xR,A
distribution: how the solute partitions itself = DA = yE,A/xR,A
Major steps
1. Mixing/contacting:
turbulent contact between liquid phases
small droplet dispersion in a continuous phase
which phase is dispersed?
mass-transfer between phases
limited by solute loading in solvent
2. Phase separation:
reverse of above mixing step
drops come together and coalesce
relies on density difference
3. Collection of phases leaving the unit
split the raffinate from the extract
Ternary Systems
Three binary systems can be formed, A-B, B-C, C- A. Mutual miscibility behaviour of
the component determines the nature of equilibrium diagram
Categories
a) The carrier (A) and extracting solvent (B) are practically immiscible.
b) The solute(C) is miscible with carrier (A) and solvent (B) in all proportions.→ Type I
c) The solute (C) is completely miscible with carrier (A) but both solute (C) and carrier (A)
have limited miscibility with the solvent (B). →Type II
Type 1
C is miscible with A and B: curve RPS is equilibrium
diagram