Liquid - Liquid extraction_ 5

Solvent selection 2

• Selection of right solvent is most important

• Solvents are mostly organic

Important criteria for solvent selection are :

1. Selectivity

2. Interfacial tension

3. Solvent immiscibility

4. Density

5. Viscosity

6. Other properties of solvent

Solvent selection : Selectivity 3

• Preferential uptake of solute by solvent over carrier

• Selectivity or Separation Factor is defined as

amount of solute C with respect to carrier A in Extract Phase

βC,A =
amount of solute C with respect to carrier A in Raffinate Phase

yC /y A
βC,A =
xC /x A
Solvent selection : Selectivity 4

• Selectivity is unity at plait point because compositions of two phases become

same

• Selectivity of solute depends

• composition of two phases in equilibrium
• temperature

At equilibrium :
 yC  E solute concentration in extract (mainly solvent )
K= 
 xC  R solute concentration in raffinate (mainly carrier )

• K = distribution Coefficient or Partition Coefficient of solute for carrier-solvent

pair
Solvent selection 5

2. Interfacial tension

• Interfacial tension between carrier and solvent has two opposite effects

• low interfacial tension favors fine dispersion of liquids, increasing interfacial

area of mass transfer

• power consumption is lower

• However, low interfacial tension does not favour coalescence of droplets

• So phase separation to raffinate and extract becomes difficult

• balance required between these opposing effects while selecting a solvent

• Maximize mass transfer and Minimize time of phase separation

Solvent selection 6

3. Solvent immiscibility
• mutual solubility of carrier and solvent should be low

4. Density
• difference in densities of two phases is control separation in settler
• density of lighter phase should be at least 5% less than that of heavier phase

5. Viscosity
• solvent viscosity should be low
• reduces power consumption for mixing of phases
Solvent selection 7

• 6. Other properties of solvent

• Should be less expensive, non toxic and non corrosive, low flammability and
volatility

• Prevention of accumulation of impurities in solvent

• Presence of impurities reduce performance
• lower of interfacial tension
• Increase resistance to mass transfer between two phases
Minimum solvent rate 8

• At minimum solvent rate :

• infinite number of contact stages required

• For a line from difference point Δ (operating line) to coincide with a tie line
(equilibrium line), infinite number of stages will be required

• This corresponds to minimum solvent to feed requirement which can be

used for the specified system

• Difference point Δm corresponding to infinite number of stages is located

• Minimum solvent rate Sm calculated by using Lever arm rule

Determination of minimum solvent rate 9

Locating Δm
• All tie lines are extended to meet line RNS , producing number of Δ points (Δ1 , Δ2 , Δ3 …….)

ΔmΔ1 Δ2 Δ3
Determination of minimum solvent rate 10

Locating Δm

• Join the Δm to F to obtain E1= EM (final

extract phase corresponding to minimum
solvent)

• Tie line through F corresponds to Δm

• Tie line through F extended to intersect

RnS to locate Δm (for minimum solvent)
Minimum solvent rate 11

• Once minimum solvent rate is obtained, actual solvent rate is selected on basis
of economic consideration

• Higher solvent rate

• reduces fixed cost because of less number of stages required
• but operating cost becomes higher because of
• handling larger quantity of liquids
• Large equipment size
• Higher cost of separation of solvent
Example 12

A feed of 1000 kg/h of aqueous solution of pyridine (50% by mass) is to be

extracted using pure benzene to reduce the solute content in the raffinate to 2%.
Determine the minimum solvent rate.

Locate
• Point F
(feed F = 1000 kg/h, xBF = 0 ; xCF= 0.5)

• Point S
• (solvent is pure yBS = 1; yCS= 0.0)

• Raffinate has 2% of solute

• point RN, xCRN = 0.02
 13
Locate ∆M , EM & Mm

F
EM

Mm

RN
S

∆M
 14
Locate ∆M

• Point RN and S are joined and line RNS is extended

• At minimum solvent operation tie line and operating line coincide .

• Draw Tie line from point F and extended to intersect RNS line.

• The intersection point will be Δm .

• This F Δm line then also become operating line .

 15
Locate EM & Mm

• Em obtained at intersect of F Δm line with extract arm

(Em correspond to extract composition if minimum solvent is used)

• Join Em and RN ( desired raffinate point)

• Mm is the intersecting point of FS and EmRN , At this condition S=Sm

 16
• From lever arm rule F M m Sm

Sm FM m

• From Figure : FMm = 3 and MmSm = 4.6 F = 1000 kg/h

1000 4.6
  1.53
Sm 3

Sm = 654 kg

Sm
Classification of Extractors 17
Mixer-settler 18

• Simplest and oldest

• Consist of mixer and settler

Mixer
• vertical vessel : one liquid phase is finely
dispersed Into other by agitator/Impellers

• Two liquid streams enter mixer

• Sufficient time of contact allowed for mass

transfer, known as holding time

• Dispersion leaves mixer for settler

Mixer-settler 19

Settler
• Horizontal vessel

• Emulsion separate into two phases in

settler by coalescence of fine droplets

• Settling aids are used to improve

separation efficiency
Centrifugal extractor 20

• Use centrifugal force to cause countercurrent

radial flow of two liquid phases

• Podbielniak Extractor is oldest

• Cylindrical drum rotate around horizontal

hollow shaft
• A number of concentric perforated cylinder
shells are fixed to drum
Centrifugal extractor 21

• Both heavy and light phases enter through shaft from opposite direction
Centrifugal extractor 22

• Heavy liquid is let out near centre of drum

• Light liquid is channeled to inner periphery of rotating drum
Centrifugal extractor 23

• Because of density differences of liquids,

• heavy phase flows radially outwards and displace light liquid phase (LLP)
• LLP then flows radially inwards (in opposite direction)
Centrifugal extractor 24

• Heavy liquid that reaches periphery

returns through channels and leaves unit
through annular region around shaft

• Light liquid collects near centre and also

leaves through an annular passage
around shaft

HLI = Heavy liquid inlet

HLO = Heavy liquid outlet

LLI = Light liquid inlet

LLO = Light liquid outlet
Un-agitated extraction column 25

• This type of extractor has a cylindrical shell with internals

• Heavy liquid enters at top and light liquid at bottom

• One liquid released through a distributor and form the dispersed phase

• Countercurrent flow of liquids : by gravity and buoyancy forces

• Drop breakage and coalescence occur all along column and new interfacial
area created or renewed
Un-agitated extraction column 26

Spray Towers
• simplest type of un-agitated extraction
column

• Droplets of heavy liquid are formed using

nozzles at top of column

• heavy liquid form dispersed phase and move

down through light continuous phase

• flow rate of two phases through column,

depend upon density difference and viscosity
of phases
Un-agitated extraction column 27

• Packed extraction columns : packing in tower

increases rate of mass transfer

• Sieve tray column

Agitated extraction columns 28

Karr column
• Derived from pulsed sieve tray column
• Has reciprocating shaft with perforated plated
mounted on it

pulsed column
Agitated extraction columns 29

Rotating disc contactor

• Widely used
• Consist of tall column

• Horizontal disc mounted on central shaft

act as agitating element

• Rotor disc break drops by shear force

• RDC has considerable flexibility of

operation
• Has considerable backmixing
Agitated extraction columns 30
• SCHEIBELⓇ Column
Selection of extractors 31

Important factors:
• Fluid properties
• Throughputs and phase ratio
• Characteristics of liquid-liquid dispersion
• Residence time in extractor
• Number of theoretical stages required
• Presence of suspended solids
• Available space
• Cost and maintenance of equipment
Criteria of selection of an extractor 32