CHAPTER 2: LIQUID –

LIQUID EXTRACTION
 CHAPTER / CONTENT

Definition & Application

Solvent selection

LLE for Partially Miscible Solvent

LLE for Immiscible Solvent

Liquid – liquid extraction equipment

 Definition & Application of LLE
The separation of constituents (solutes) of a liquid solution by contact
with another insoluble liquid.

Solutes are separated based on their different solubilities in

different liquid.

The separation process of the components of a liquid mixture are

done by treatment with a solvent in which one or more desired
components is soluble.

There are two requirements for liquid – liquid extraction to be

feasible:
component(s) to be removed from the feed must preferentially
distribute in the solvent.

the feed and solvent phases must be substantially immiscible.

Liquid-liquid extraction is a useful method to
separate components (compounds) of a mixture.
 Extraction. Substance distribution between
two liquids.
• Extraction – is the process by which a solute is
transferred from one phase to a new phase.

• Liquid-liquid extraction, also known as solvent

extraction and partitioning, is a method to separate
compounds based on their relative solubilities in
two different immiscible liquids, usually water and
an organic solvent.
Аaq  Аor
 B A B A
A B A A B A
A B A B
B B Shake/stir to
B B B B allow molecules
B B to partition
A A A A
B B
A A A A

Original Extracting
solvent (B) solvent (C)
containing A

A A A portion of A will
A
A cross to form a
A new solution in C.
A

A = solute B B
B = original solvent B
B B
C = extracting solvent
B B
 Definition & Application of LLE (cont.)
The simplest LLE involves only a ternary (i.e 3 component system)

Important terms you need to know:

Feed - The solution which is to be extracted

(contains solute A)

Solvent - The liquid with which the feed is contacted

(denoted by component C)

Diluent - ‘Carrier’ liquid

(denoted by component B)

Extract - The solvent – rich product of the operation

Raffinate- The residual liquid from which solutes has been

removed.
• A partially miscible solvent will extract
mostly the desired component A and some
of component B.
• The resulting solution is a ternary solution.
 Definition & Application of LLE (cont.)
In some operations, the solutes are the desired product, hence the extract
stream is the desirable stream. In other applications, the solutes may be
contaminants that need to be removed, and in this instance the raffinate is the
desirable product stream.

Extraction processes are well suited to the petroleum industry because of

the need to separate heat – sensitive liquid feeds according to chemical type
(e.g aromatic, naphthenic) rather than by molecular weight or vapor pressure.

Application:

Major applications exist in the biochemical or pharmaceutical industry,

where emphasis is on the separation of antibiotics and protein recovery.

In the inorganic chemical industry, they are used to recover high –

boiling components such as phosphoric acid, boric acid and sodium
hydroxide from aqueous solution.
 Definition & Application of LLE (cont.)
Examples:

Extraction of nitrobenzene after reaction of HNO3 with toluene in

H2SO4

Extraction of methylacrylate from organic solution with

perchlorethylene

Extraction of benzylalcohol from a salt solution with toluene.

Removing of H2S from LPG with MDEA

Extraction of caprolactam from ammonium sulfate solution with

benzene

Extraction of acrylic acid from wastewater with butanol

Removing residual alkalis from dichlorohydrazobenzene with water

Extraction of methanol from LPG with water

Extraction of chloroacetic acid from methylchloroacetate with water.

 LLE vs. Distillation

The difference between LLE and distillation process in

the separation of liquid mixtures:

LLE depends on solubilities between the liquid

components and produces new solution which in turn
has to be separated again, whereas;

Distillation depends on the differences in relative

volatilities / vapor pressures of substances.
Furthermore, it requires heat addition.
 LLE vs. Distillation (cont.)

Advantages of LLE over distillation process:

Distillation requires excessive amount of heat.

Presence of azeotropes or low relative volatilities are involved (α value near unity
and distillation cannot be used)

Dissolved or complex inorganic substances in organic or aqueous solution

Removal of a component present in small concentrations, e.g hormones in animal

oil.

Recovery of a high – boiling point component present in small quantities in

waste stream, e.g acetic acid from cellulose acetate.

Recovery of heat – sensitive materials (e.g food) where low to moderate

processing temperatures are needed. Thermal decomposition might occur.

Solvent recovery is easy and energy savings can be realized.

 Extracting Solvent Selection
The extracting solvent is the key to a successful separation by LLE.
Choosing the best extracting solvent is the most critical aspect of
developing a liquid-liquid extraction process. There are several criteria
that must be considered in choosing extracting solvent:
Distribution Coefficients
• y/x at equilibrium; large values preferable. (The distribution coefficient
or partition coefficient for a component (A) is defined as the ratio of
concentration of A in extract phase to that in raffinate phase.
Selectivity
• can be defined as the ability of the solvent to pick up the desired
component in the feed as compared to other components
Insolubility
• solvent should not be soluble in carrier liquid
Recoverability
• consider constraints (i.e. azeotropes)
Interfacial Tension
• if too high, liquids will be difficult to mix
 Extracting Solvent Selection (cont.)

Density
• must be different so that phases can be separated by settling

Chemical Reactivity
• solvent should be inert and stable

Viscosity, Vapor Pressure, Freezing Point

• low values make storage easier

Safety
• toxicity, flammability

Cost
 Solvent selection (detailed)

The solvent is the key to a successful separation by LLE. The several criteria:

• Distribution Coefficient.

This is the ratio (at equilibrium) of the concentration of solute in the

extract and raffinate phases. It gives a measure of the affinity of the solute
for the two phases.

A distribution coefficient other than unity implies that the solute must
have different affinity in the two phases. If only one solute is involved
(such as in the recovery of an impurity from an effluent stream), only the
distribution coefficient need to be considered, and it is desirable for this to
be as large as possible.
 Solvent selection (detailed)

Selectivity (Separation factor).

If there are more than one solutes (sat two solutes A and B), then
consideration should be given to the selectivity of the solvent for solutes A
against B.

The selectivity between two solutes A and B is defined as the ratio of

the distribution coefficient of A to the distribution coefficient of B. For all
useful extraction operation the selectivity must exceed unity. If the
selectivity is unity, no separation is possible.

Insolubility of Solvent.

The solvent should have low solubility in the feed solution, otherwise
the separation is not ‚clean‛. For example, if there is significant solubility
of solvent in the raffinate stream, an additional separation step is required
to recover the solvent.
 Solvent selection (detailed)

Recoverability.

It is always necessary to recover the solvent for re-use, and this must
ordinarily be done by other means, e.g distillation. If distillation is to be
used, the solvent should form no azeotrope with the extracted solute and
mixtures should show high relative volatility. The solvent should also be
thermally – stable under the distillation temperature.

Density.

A large difference in density between extract and raffinate phases

permits high capacities in equipment. This is especially important for
extraction devices utilizing gravity for phase separation.
 Solvent selection (detailed)

Interfacial tension.

The larger the interfacial tension, the more readily coalescence of

emulsions will occur but the more difficult the dispersion of one liquid in
the other will be. The more readily coalesces the emulsions the easier
phase separation will be.

Low interfacial tension aids dispersion and thus improves contacting

mass transfer efficiency. Coalescence is usually of greater importance, and
interfacial tension should therefore high.

Chemical Reactivity.

The solvent should be stable chemically and inert toward the other
components of the system and toward the common materials of
construction.
 Solvent selection (detailed)

Viscosity, Vapor pressure, Freezing Point.

These should be low for ease in handling and storage, for example, a
high viscosity leads to difficulties with pumping, dispersion and mass
transfer rate.

Availability and Cost.

An excellent solvent may not commercially available. Or it may

represent a large initial cost for charging the system, and a heavy
continuing expense for replacing inevitable operating losses.

Other Criteria.

Toxicity and flammability of the solvent are important occupational

health and safety consideration.

Stability of the solvent (i.e resistance to breakdown), particularly in the

recovery steps, is significant, especially if the breakdown products might
contaminate the products of the main separation.
Ternary phase equilibrium diagram

• Equilibrium relationship can be presented in

triangular diagram
• Two types of triangular diagrams
1. Equilateral triangular diagram
2. Right-angle triangular diagram
Ternary equilateral triangular Phase Diagram

Ternary Phase Diagram

Solvent: TCE
Solute: Acetone
Carrier: Water
 Ternary Single-Stage
Solute

A point where the composition of

the extract is the same as the
composition of the raffinate

Plait Point
P

Extract F Feed
E
Mixing point
R Raffinate
Tie-lines

Solvent S

Carrier
Right-angle triangular diagram
(rectangular coordinate)
 LLE for Partially Miscible Solvent

SINGLE STAGE CALCULATIONS

MULTISTAGE COUNTER CURRENT SYSTEM

 Single – stage calculations

Solvent and the solution are in contact with each other only once and thus
the raffinate and extract are in equilibrium only once.

The solution – normally binary solution containing solute (A) dissolved in a

diluent or carrier (B). The extracting solvent can be either pure solvent C or
may content little A. Raffinate (R) is the exiting phase rich in carrier (B) while
extract is exiting phase rich in solvent (C).

When liquid solution mixed with solvent (C), an intermediate phase M

momentarily forms as the light liquid moves through the heavy liquid in the
form of bubbles. These bubbles provide a large surface area for contact
between the solution and the solvent that speed up mass transfer process.

The raffinate and extract are in equilibrium with each other.

 Single – stage calculations

Liquid-Liquid Extraction

Extracting Solvent, S
Extract phase, E
ys (A) Intermediate, M y* (A)

Feed Solution, F xM (A)

xF (A) Raffinate phase, R
x* (A)

F Mass of feed solution S Mass of extracting solvent

E Mass of extract phase
M Mass of intermediate
yS Mass fraction of A in S
x* Equilibrium mass fraction
of A in R
R Mass of raffinate phase
xF Mass fraction of A in F
xM Mass fraction of A in M
y* Equilibrium mass fraction of A in E

Note: Intermediate shown just for purpose of demonstration. Don’t have to draw it when
answering the question
 Single – stage calculations

In most single – extraction, we are interested to determine the equilibrium

composition and masses of raffinate and extract phases by using ternary phase
diagram and simple material balances.

Using material balance,

Calculate the mass of intermediate M using total material balance:

FS M Eq. (1)

Determine mass fraction of solute A in intermediate M using material balance

for solute A :

xF  F  y S  S  xM  M Eq. (2)

Use both Eq. 1 and 2 to find xM value

 Single – stage calculations

On a right angle triangular diagram or equilateral triangular diagram for

A-B-C system:

Locate point F (xF) and S (yS)

Draw a straight line from F to S

Using the calculated value of xM, locate point M (xM) on the FS line. Note that
point M must be on FS line.

Draw a new tie line that pass through point M. This new tie line must take shape
of the nearest given tie lines.

From the new tie line, you can locate point E and R and hence you can
determine the composition of raffinate, R and extract, E that are in equilibrium.
 Single – stage calculations

Once you have determine composition of R and E, you can determine the
masses of E and R using the material balance as follows:

Using the total material balance:

FS  RE Eq. (3)

Using the material balance for solute A:

x F  F  y S  S  x * R  y * E Eq. (4)

Solve those Eq 3 and 4 to determine the masses of E and R

 Single – stage calculations

Example 1

100 kg of a solution containing 0.4 mass fraction of ethylene glycol (EG) in water is
to be extracted with equal mass of furfural 250C and 101 kPa. Using the ternary
phase equilibrium diagram method, determine the followings:

the composition of raffinate and extract phases

the mass of extract and raffinate

the percent glycol extracted

Use the following
Furfural rich layer Water rich layer equilibrium tie – line
% EG % water % furfural % EG % water % furfural
to construct the
0.0 5.0 95.0 0.0 92.0 8.0
ternary phase
diagram
8.5 4.5 87.0 2.0 89.6 8.4
14.5 4.5 81.0 5.5 86.0 8.5
21.0 6.0 73.0 7.0 84.4 8.6
29.0 7.0 64.0 8.0 83.3 8.7
42.0 8.5 49.5 14.0 77.2 8.8
50.0 14.0 36.0 31.0 60.0 9.0
51.0 33.0 16.0 51.0 33.0 16.0
 Single – stage calculations

Solution 1

F = 100 kg S = 100 kg xF=0.4 yS=0

Calculate the mass of intermediate M using total material balance

FS M 100  100  M M  200 kg

Determine mass fraction of solute A in intermediate M using material

balance for solute A:

xF  F  y S  S  xM  M 0.4  100  0  100  x M  200 x M  0.2

Locate point F & S, draw line FS. Locate point xM on FS line. Draw new tie
line that pass through point xM. From that tie line, locate point E and R hence
you can determine the composition of R (x*) and E (y*) which is in equilibrium.
From the graph, y* = 0.26, x* = 0.075 (Solution for point 1)
 Single – stage calculations

Right angle method

M E

R
S
 Single – stage calculations

Equilateral method

E M

R
S
 Single – stage calculations

Solution 1 (cont’)

Using the total material balance

FS  RE 100  100  R  E R  200  E Eq. (i)

Using the material balance for solute A:

x F  F  y S  S  x * R  y * E 0.4  100  0  100  0.075  R  0.26  E

Insert eq (i) into eq above

% of EG extracted = (Mass of EG in extract /
0.075 200  E   0.26E  40 Mass of EG in feed) x 100%
15  0.075E  0.26E  40
0.185E  25 % of EG extracted =
E  135 .14kg
y * E 0.26  135.14
R  200  E  200  135 .14  100%  x100%  87.8%
xF  F 0.40  100
R  64.86kg

Solution for point 2 Solution for point 3

 Multi – stage counter current system

Solvent and solution which flow opposite (countercurrent) to each other,

come into contact more than once and mix on stages inside the reactor.

Normally numbering of the stages begin at the top down to the bottom.
Thus the top most stage is named as stage 1, stage directly below stage 1 is
stage 2 and so on.

Feed solution, F Final extract, E

xF (A)
yE (A)
1

N-1

Extracting solvent, S Final raffinate, R

yS (A) XR (A)
 Multi – stage counter current system

The analysis of multistage extraction can be performed using right – angle

or equilateral triangular diagram to determine the number of ideal stages
required for a specified separation.

Using material balance,

Calculate the mass of intermediate M using total material balance:

FS M Eq. (1)

Determine mass fraction of solute A in intermediate M using material balance

for solute A :

xF  F  y S  S  xM  M Eq. (2)

Use both Eq. 1 and 2 to find xM value

 Multi – stage counter current system

On a right angle triangular diagram or equilateral triangular diagram for

A-B-C system:
Locate point F (xF) and S (yS)

Draw a straight line from F to S

Using the calculated value of xM, locate point M (xM) on the FS line. Note that
point M must be on FS line.

Locate point E1 (Point M must be on E1RN line).

Operating Points and Lines.

Locate the Operating Point by finding the intersection of operating

lines for the left most and right most stage.
Draw a line through E1 and F.
Draw a line through S and RN.
Locate the intersection P. This point is the operating point P.
 Multi – stage counter current system

Solute

Plait Point

E1
Feed
M Operating Point
P

RN

Carrier
 Multi – stage counter current system

Operating Lines and Tie Lines: Stepping Off Stages:

Locate point R1 from the tie line intersecting E1

Draw a line from the operating point P through R1 to the extract side of
the equilibrium curve. The intersection locates E2

Locate point R2 from a tie line.

Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until RN is obtained

Summary: E1 → R1 : Tie line, R1 → E2 : Operating line. Stop until E

value is slightly below RN value
 Multi – stage counter current system

Solute

Plait Point

E1
E2
Feed
E3 Operating Point
E4 R1
M P
E5
E6 RN
Carrier
Solvent C
 Multi – stage counter current system

Minimum solvent amount / minimum solvent flow rate

Minimum solvent flow rate is the lowest rate / amount at which solvent could be
theoretically used for a specified extraction.

Occurs when operating line touches the equilibrium curve at which the
separation requires infinite number of ideal stages.

Point M is dependent upon the solvent flow rate / amount. The larger the rate /
amount, the closer is point M to point S on the FS line.
 Multi – stage counter current system

On a right angle triangular diagram or equilateral triangular diagram for A-B-

C system:

Locate point F (xF) and S (yS)

Draw a best tie line that originate from F. The intersection of this line with
extract half – dome is point Emin (minimum extract flow rate / amount).

Draw a straight line from Emin to point R. The intersection of this line with
FS gives point Mmin. From point Mmin you can read the value of xmin.

Use the value of xmin and material balance to calculate the Smin .

% Overall efficiency of multi – stage extraction column:

% Overall efficiency = (number of ideal stage / number of real stage) x 100%

 Multi – stage counter current system

Example 2

5300 kg/h of a solution containing 30% by weight of ethylene glycol (EG) in water
is to be reduced to 4.5% (solvent free) by a continuous extraction in a
countercurrent column using recycled furfural that contains 1.5% EG as the
extracting solvent:

Determine the minimum solvent flow rate for the extraction above

If the solvent enters at 1.25 times the minimum solvent rate, how many ideal
stages are required?

Determine the number of real stages if the overall efficiency of the column
is 60%
 Multi – stage counter current system

Solution 2

F = 5300 kg/hr xF = 0.30 RSF = 0.045 yS = 0.015

Emin

F
Mmin

RSF
S
 Multi – stage counter current system

From the graph above, XMmin = 0.25

From material balance:

Solution for point 1
F  S min  Mmin 5300  S min  Mmin
x F  F  y s  S min  x Mmin  Mmin
0.3  5300  0.015S min  0.25Mmin Smin=1127.66 kg/h

S = 1.25 x Smin=1.25 x 1127.66 kg/h S = 1409.58 kg/h

Calculate the mass of intermediate M using total material balance :

FS  M 5300  1409.58  M M  6409.58 kg

Determine mass fraction of solute A in intermediate M using material

balance for solute A:

From material balance:

 Multi – stage counter current system

xF  F  yS  S  xM  M 0.3  5300  0.015  1409.58  xM  6709.58 xM  0.24

Solution for point 2

E1
E2
From figure above, no
E3 of ideal stages = 5
M F
E4

E5 P
RSF
S

Number of real stages = 5 / 0.60 = 8.33 = 9 stages.

Solution for point 3
 LLE for Immiscible Solvent

Sometimes extraction use a solvent C that is only slightly soluble in B or the

solvent C used is in range where the solubility in B is so low that for all practice
purpose, it can be assumed to be completely insoluble / immiscible in B and vice
versa.

Bancroft weight fractions or mass ratio, x’ and y’ are defined as follows:

x’ (in raffinate phase) = mass of solute A / mass of diluent B

y’ (in extract phase) = mass of solute A / mass of solvent C

 LLE for Immiscible Solvent

SINGLE STAGE CALCULATIONS

MULTISTAGE COUNTER CURRENT SYSTEM

 Single – stage calculations

Feed solution B kg diluent B in Raffinate

M kg A in feed x’ kg A/kg diluent B

Solvent S kg solvent C in Extract

N kg A in feed y’ kg A/kg solvent C

Solvent C is used in such a range that it is considered insoluble in B.

Material balance of the solute (A) are:

M  N  y' S  x' B

B MN Eq. (3)

y'  x' 
S S
 Single – stage calculations

Example 3

An aqueous solution of acetic acid is to be extracted in a single extractor with

isopropyl ether. The solution contains 24.6 kg of acetic acid and 80 kg of water.

If 100 kg of isopropyl ether is added to the solution, what weight of acetic acid
will be extracted by isopropyl ether if equilibrium is attained?

Water and isopropyl ether may be considered as completely immiscible under

the condition of extraction. The equilibrium data as follows:

x’ (kg acid/kg water) 0.030 0.046 0.063 0.070 0.078 0.086 0.106
y’ (kg acid/kg isopropyl ether) 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.22 0.24 0.26 0.30
 Single – stage calculations

Solution 3

A = Acetic Acid B = Water C = Isopropyl ether

Feed solution 80 kg diluent B in Raffinate

24.6 kg A x’ kg A/kg diluent B

Solvent 100 kg solvent C in Extract

0 kg A in feed y’ kg A/kg solvent C

From mass balance,

M  N  y' S  x' B 24.6  0  y'100  80 x' y'  0.80x' 0.246

The equilibrium data and equation above is plotted in figure next page.

From the intersection of lines, x’ = 0.062, y’ = 0.195

Amount of acetic acid extracted = 19.5 kg

 Single – stage calculations

Solution 3

x' - y' diagram for system acetic acid-water-isopropyl ether

0.35

0.3

0.25

0.2
y'

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14
x'
 Multi – stage counter current system

The principle is quite same with the partially miscible solvent, but in this case
the extraction process involved the immiscible solvent.

B kg/h pure diluent B in feed solution S kg/h pure solvent in extract phase

x’2 kg A/kg pure B y’2 kg A/kg pure solvent

1

N-1

S kg/h pure solvent C B kg/h pure diluent B in raffinate

yn+1’ kg A/kg pure solvent x’n kg A/kg pure B

 Multi – stage counter current system

For immiscible solvents, analysis of the extraction process become much simpler
since the flow rate of pure solvents (extracting solvent and feed solvent (diluent) )
are constants).

The operating line equation for multi stage liquid –liquid extraction:

B y' S  x' 2 B
y'  x'  2 Form of y = mx + c
S S

The operating line gives a relationship between mass fraction of A (x’n) in

raffinate phase coming out of the nth stage, with mass fraction of A (yn+1) in extract
phase entering the nth stage.

The operating line can be plotted by locating points (x’1,y’1) and (x’2,y’2) and
draw a straight line through these points.

Using the method similar to Mc Cabe – Thiele diagram, the number of ideal
stages can be determined by drawing the triangular steps connecting equilibrium
line and the operating line.
 Multi – stage counter current system

Example 4

8000 kg/h of an acetic acid-water solution containing 20% acid by mass is to be

counter currently extracted with isopropyl ether to reduce the concentration of acid
to 2% in the solvent-free raffinate product.

Determine the number of theoretical stages if 20,000 kg/h solvent is used.

Use the following equilibrium data:

x’ (kg acid/kg
0.000 0.025 0.050 0.100 0.150 0.200 0.220 0.240 0.260 0.300
water)
y’ (kg acid/kg
0.000 0.005 0.013 0.030 0.046 0.063 0.070 0.078 0.086 0.106
isopropyl ether)
 Multi – stage counter current system

Solution 4

Since acid is to be extracted, acid is the absorbable component A, while water is

component B and isopropyl ether is component C.

0.8(8000) kg/h of water in 20,000 kg/h isopropyl ether (C) in extract phase

x’2 y’2

TOP (2)

BOTTOM (1)
0.8(8000) kg/h of water (B) in raffinate
0.02 kg A/kg (solvent free) 20,000 kg/h isopropyl ether (C) in

x’1 y’1
 Multi – stage counter current system

Solution 4

F = 8000 kg/h xF = 0.20 xBF = 0.80 S = 20,000 kg/h

From the definition:

x’ (in raffinate phase) = mass of solute A / mass of diluent B

y’ (in extract phase) = mass of solute A / mass of solvent C

For location 1,

Solvent feed Raffinate phase

Mass of solute A = 0 kg/h Solvent-free composition of A = 0.02, B = 0.98

Mass of solvent C = 20,000 kg/h. A A B A A  B 0.02

x'1        0.0204
B A B A B A B B 0.98

Coordinates for (x’1,y’1) = (0.0204, 0) 0

y'1  0
20000
 Multi – stage counter current system

Solution 4

For location 2,

Feed

Mass of solute A = 0.20 x 8000 = 1600 kg/h

Mass of diluent B = 0.80 x 8000 = 6400 kg/h.

Extract

Mass of solute A = Mass of acid in – Mass of acid in raffinate

Mass of solute A = 1600 - x’1x B = 1600 – 0.0204 x 6400= 1469.44 kg/h

Mass of solvent C = 20 000 kg/h

 Multi – stage counter current system

Solution 4

For location 2,

Extract

1600 1469 .44

x'2   0.250 y'2   0.0735
6400 20000

Coordinates for (x’2,y’2) = (0.250, 0.0735)

The points for operating line are (0.0204, 0) and (0.250, 0.0735).

No. of theoretical stages = 14 stages

 Multi – stage counter current system

Solution 4
 Multi – stage counter current system

Minimum solvent amount / flow rate: immiscible solvent

Minimum solvent flow rate, Smin is defined as the flow rate of solvent at which
the number of stages approaches infinity.

Smin can be determined graphically by drawing a straight line originating from

the bottom (x’1,y’1) until it becomes tangential to the equilibrium curve. The slope
of this line corresponds to minimum slope (mmin):

B B
m min  S min 
S min m min

Example 5

Determine the minimum flow rate of isopropyl ether for the problem in
Example 4.
 Multi – stage counter current system

Solution 5

The line tangential to the equilibrium curve and originates from (x’1,y’1)
which is (0.0204, 0) is drawn in figure below:

B 0.8  8000
The slope of the tangential line = 0.343 S min   = 18 658.89 kg/h.
m min 0.343
 Liquid – liquid extraction equipment

Two main classes of solvent – extraction equipment:

1) Vessels in which mechanical agitation is provided for mixing

2) Vessels in which the mixing is done by the flow of the fluid themselves.

The extraction equipment can be operated batch or continuous.

 Liquid – liquid extraction equipment

Mixer – Settlers for Extraction

A mechanical mixer is often used to provide intimate contact between the
two liquid phases – to provide efficient mass transfer.

One phase is usually dispersed into the other in the form of small droplet.

In figure 12.6 – 1(a) for typical mixer settler, mixer or agitator is entirely
separate from the settler. The feed of aqueous phase and organic phase are
mixed in the mixer, and then the mixed phases are separated in the settler.

In figure 12.6 – 1(b) for combined mixer settler, sometimes used in extraction
of uranium salts or copper salts from aqueous solution.
 Liquid – liquid extraction equipment

Spray Extraction Towers

In Figure 12.6 – 2 the heavy liquid enters at

the top of the spray tower, fills the tower as
the continuous phase, and flows out through
the bottom.

The light liquid enters through a nozzle

distributor at the bottom, which disperses or
sprays the droplets upward.

The light liquid coalesces at the top and

flows out.

In some cases the heavy liquid is sprayed

downward into a rising, light continuous
phase.
 Liquid – liquid extraction equipment

Packed Extraction Towers

More effective tower – made
by packing the column with
random packing such as
Raschig rings, Berl saddles,
Pall rings and so on

Packings cause the droplets to

coalesce and redisperse at
frequent intervals through the
tower.

Packed tower is more efficient

than spray tower.

Table 12.6 – 1 shows typical

performance for several types
of commercial extraction
towers.