NEW MATERIALS

Coalescer for liquid-liquid extraction

Better separation with combined

materials
When extraction columns operate at their limits, fine droplets often may formthe separation
of which requires special internals. Sulzer Chemtech improves the performance of extraction
columns by using coalescers made of composite materials, and thereby extends the range
of application for these columns. Pilot tests in the Sulzer Chemtech test center confirm the
process and cost advantages of this solution.

hen it comes to removing highboiling components from wastewater streams1 or purifying

pharmaceutical agents2, liquid-liquid
extraction is frequently used (see infobox). As in distillation units, this separation process often is implemented in
the form of a countercurrent column. In

liquid-liquid extraction, however, two

liquids (two liquid phases) are in contactnot a liquid phase with a vapor
phase, as in the case of distillation.
Special internals are therefore required
for the extraction columns, which differ
depending on the column technology
and the application.

The right column for every

application
The packed extraction column ECP is
used for applications with a high
throughput (Fig. 1). The construction of
these columns is very similar to that of
the well-known distillation columns, but
the packings used have a smooth surface.

In coalescers, small droplets accumulate on net-like structures and can thereby merge (coalesce). The special feature
of the DC Coalescer from Sulzer is the combination of two materials with very different wettabilities, normally metal
and plastic, which enhances the droplet coalescence of each phase.

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NEW MATERIALS

Liquid-liquid extraction
Liquid-liquid extraction is an important basic operation in
separation technology. The principle behind this process is
a material transfer between two liquids: The key component
transfers from one liquid into another. The prerequisite for
this is that these two liquids are immiscible or that they
mix only to a small extent. In order to create sufficient
surface necessary for the mass transfer, one of the liquids
is dispersed into the other in the form of droplets. The mass
transfer takes place between the droplets (dispersed phase)
and the surrounding liquid (continuous phase). In order to
be able to subsequently separate the two liquids, they must
have different densities. The droplets thereby accumulate
above or below the continuous phase depending on the
relative density. The boundary surface between the two
liquid layers in the columns is referred to as interface and
is located at the top or at the bottom.
The picture illustrates the two possible dispersion
directions:
Feed continuous

Feed dispersed

Extract

Extract

Interface

Feed

Feed

Interface

Solvent

Solvent

Raffinate

Raffinate

The liquid with the key components which are to be

extracted is fed into the column and sinks
downwards (heavy phase).
The solvent is fed into the column and rises upwards
(light phase).
The obtained extract is removed.
The residue (raffinate) is removed.
Feed continuous (left picture)
The liquid with the key components which are to be
extracted is fed as a continuous material flow, while the
solvent is dispersed as droplets. The droplets extract
the transfer components and
accumulate at the top as
the extract.

Feed dispersed (right picture)

The solvent is added as a
continuous phase and the
material flow is dispersed
into this phase as droplets.
When the transfer components have been removed
from the droplets, the remaining residue (raffinate) accumulates below.

14 | Sulzer Technical Review 2/2013

The main difference is in the distributors

for the two liquid phases, because in
extraction one of these phases has to
be broken down (dispersed) into
droplets. To achieve this, specially
adapted distributors are necessary for
the different applications.
The agitated Khni column ECR is
used for separation tasks that require a
higher number of separation stages or a
high level of flexibility. In this type of
apparatus, mixing turbines create the dispersion of droplets in the individual agitated compartments. The speed is
selected so that droplets in the desired
range of 24 mm diameter are formed.
Depending on the density of the liquids,
the droplets either rise or sink in the
column (see infobox).
In both types of equipment, the
droplets collect at one end of the column
after flowing through the surrounding
liquid (continuous phase). The individual droplets thereby come so close
to one another that they flow together
and eventually form a continuous
liquid layer. This process is described as
coalescence. The resulting separation
layer between the two liquid layers
is called interface.

The problem of the entrained

droplets
Under certain conditions, considerably
smaller dropletsso-called fine dropletsare also formed in the columns, in
addition to the droplets in the desired
diameter range. These are no longer
able to move against the flow of the
surrounding liquid. The drag force of
the surrounding liquid is greater than
the buoyancy of the droplets. The
droplets are thereby carried along and
remain in the continuous phase. This
process is referred to as entrainment3.
This microscopic phenomenon has
undesired macroscopic effects. Depending
on the application, it can lead to contaminated product flows or a yield loss
in the process. In some cases, the entrainment of the external phase interferes with
the downstream process steps so strongly
that the system can no longer be operated
safely. This is, for example, the case when

1 The ECP extraction column from Sulzer

uses similar type of packing as in distillation
columns but distinctly differs by the specially
adapted distributors.

toxic or flammable substances are

entrained in an aqueous phase that
should be discharged as wastewater.

Solution: Separators support the

coalescence
The entrained phase can be separated in
an additional gravity separator, a socalled decanter. However, this step
requires a calm flow and a very long
residence time of the dispersion. Depending on the diameter of the fine droplets,
this time can be up to several hours or
even days. Therefore, the decanter has
to be uneconomically large.
In these cases, separation vessels with
internals that help to coalesce the fine
droplets are used. Knitted coalescers
have proven especially useful here. On
their way through the mesh, the droplets
come into contact with the individual
filaments, adhere to them, and are
thereby removed from the continuous
phase. When more droplets follow, these
merge with the droplets that are already
stuck to the filaments, and these grow
into larger droplets. Once the droplets
reach a certain size, the force of gravity

NEW MATERIALS

(because of the difference in density)

becomes greater than the drag force of
the continuous phase flowing around it
and the adhesive force of the droplets
to the mesh. The accumulated droplet
then separates from the coalescer and
moves in the desired direction through
the column along with the other large
droplets. The continuous phase is thereby
freed from the entrainment.

Universally applicable material

combination

therefore be known from the very beginning. Because this is not always possible,
ideally, both materials should be used
at the same time, so that both organic
and aqueous droplets can wet the material.
Sulzer has developed the DC Coalescer for this purpose. DC stands for
Dual Composite, because metal and plastic filaments are knitted together, thereby
ensuring that the finished mesh can be
used universally. Tests confirm that the
high gradient in the surface properties
at the points of contact of plastic and
metal filaments significantly improves

For the fine droplets to be captured by

the mesh and to grow there, the material
of the filaments must
The DC Coalescer reduced the customer's
be wetted by the
investment costs by 35%.
droplets. Depending
on the surface tension of the liquids involved, different
the level of separation compared with
materials are wetted to different extents. that of mono-material meshes.
For example, if fine water droplets are
present in an organic liquid such as oil, Customer success thanks to
metallic surfaces will be well wetted, combined technology
By combining extraction columns with
while the water droplets will literally
a DC Coalescer, Sulzer can significantly
bounce off when impacting onto plastic
surfaces. Droplets of an organic liquid, expand the application range of the
such as a solvent in an aqueous medium, extraction columns for challenging systems. This effect has been confirmed in
will behave in exactly the reverse way.
a recent customer project. In order to
For the technical application of knitted
increase the production of an established
coalescers, the dispersion direction must
product, a Sulzer customer built a new,
second production line. Among other
things, the process includes an extraction
stage. With less than 1 mN/m, the interMaking large from small
facial tension of the mixture is very low,
The Sulzer DC Coalescer contains
which promotes the formation of fine
two materials with very different wettabilitiestypically metal and plastic
droplets. In the first pilot trial, this led
whereby the droplet coalescence of
to an entrainment at the head of the agiliquids with hydrophilic and hydrotated extraction column and thereby to
phobic properties is significantly
a loss of product.
increased.
Sulzer solved this problem by
combining the new columns with a
Good wettability
DC Coalescer. In the pilot trial, the
DC Coalescer, fitted with a special leadLow wettability
through for the mixer shaft, visibly
While the droplets pass through the
reduced the entrainment (Fig. 2). Based
Sulzer DC Coalescer, they collect on
on
this very good experience, the
the filaments and coalesce with
neighboring droplets to form larger
customer decided to equip the new indusdroplets. This process is repeated
trial columns with this coalescence aid.
continuously within the DC Coalescer.
Instead of simply copying the existing
When the droplets become large
production line, the customer is now
enough, they separate towards the
phase boundary.
using an agitated extraction column supMore information: www.sulzer.com/DC-coalescer
plemented with a DC Coalescer. By this,

2 Pilot trials confirm that the DC Coalescer from Sulzer considerably

reduces the entrainment (carrying along of fine droplets).

considerably less equipment, fewer ancillaries (such as pumps), and consequently,

less space is required. As overall result,
these changes have reduced the customers investment costs by 35%.

Jrg Koch
Sulzer Chemtech Ltd
Gewerbestrasse 28
4123 Allschwil
Switzerland
Phone: +41 61 486 3712
joerg.koch@sulzer.com
Daniel Egger
Sulzer Chemtech Ltd
Sulzerallee 48
8404 Winterthur
Switzerland
Phone: +41 52 262 5008
daniel.egger@sulzer.com

References
1

Jrg Koch (Dis)Solving the high boiling problem Sulzer Technical

Review 3/2011, 2024.
Teh C. Lo, Malcolm H. I. Baird, Carl Hanson, Handbook of Solvent
Extraction (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1983).
G. A. Davies, G. V. Jeffreys, D. V. Smith, F. A. Ali The Formation of
Secondary Droplets in a Dispersion at a Phase Boundary Canad.
J. Chem. Eng., Vol. 48 (1970), 328-329.

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