LIQUID-LIQUID

EXTRACTION
CONTINUOUS CONTACT
EQUIPMENT

EXTRACTION
PRINCIPLES

 Feed phase contains a component, i, which is to be removed.

Addition of a second phase (solvent phase) which is immiscible with feed phase but
component i is soluble in both phases.
Some of component i (solute) is transferred from the feed phase to the solvent phase. After
extraction the feed and solvent phases are called the raffinate (R) and extract (E) phases
respectively.
Normally one of the two phases is an organic phase while the other is an aqueous phase.
Under equilibrium conditions the distribution of solute i over the two phases is determined
by the distribution law.
After the extraction the two phases can be separated because of their immiscibility.
Component i is then separated from the extract phase by a technique such as distillation and
the solvent is regenerated.
Further extractions may be carried out to remove more component i.
Liquid liquid extraction can also be used to remove a component from an organic phase by
adding an aqueous phase.

CO-CURRENT
CONTACT
Stage 1

Stage 2

CROSS FLO

Stage 1

Stage 2

COUNTERCURRENT FLOW
Stage 1

Stage 2

TRIANGULAR
PHASE DIAGRAMS
B

%S

%A
E

%B
A

A mixture of overall composition M will split

into two phases E & R. R phase is in
equilibrium with E phase
R/E = line ME/line MR

Factors to be considered:
Selectivity
Distribution coefficient
Insolubility of solvent
Recoverability of solute from solvent
Density difference between liquid phases
Interfacial tension
Chemical reactivity
Cost
Viscosity, vapour pressure
Flammability, toxicity

CHOICE OF
SOLVENT

PACKED
TOWER

Considering , a case of packed tower

arranged for light liquid dispersed.
The void space of the packing is largely
filled with the continuous heavy liquid ,
which flows downwards.
The remainder of the void space is filled
with droplets of light liquid formed at the
lower distributor , which rises through the
heavy liquid and coalesce at the top into a
bulk layer, forming an interface.

The nature of the liquid flow in such towers require that the choice of packing and arrangement of
dispersed phase distributor be given careful attention .
If the dispersed liquid preferentially wets the packing, it will pass through in rivulets on the packing , not
as droplets , and the interfacial area produced will be small. For this reason packing should be preferentially
wetted by the continuous phase.
Usually, ceramics are wet by aqueous liquids and carbon and plastics by organic liquids.
The packing should be sufficiently small, no greater than one-eighth of the tower diameter, for the packing
density to be fully developed.
Where the material of the packing support is not wet by the dispersed droplets and the distributor is placed
outside the packing, the drops will have difficulty in entering the packaging and premature flooding results.

DESIGN OF
EQUIPMENT

The change in concentration with height of either liquid as it passes through the extractor is
differnetial , the height of the tower is expressed not in number of stages but in terms of transfer
units.
Although the raffinate is flowing downwards as if it were denser, in some instances the solvent-rich
or extract, phase will be denser and will enter at the top. In the either case, in what follows subscript
1 will always represent the end of the tower where the raffinate enters and the extract leaves, while
subscript 2 will indicate where extract enters and raffinate leaves.
Expect in special cases, the transfer of solute usually results in change of mutual solubility of the
contacted liquids, so that in general all components of the systems transfer from one phase to the
other. The F- type mass-transfer coefficients are capable pf handling this problem.

In reality, we know so little about the mass transfer coefficients that the interface expressions are of little use.
For practical reasons , it is usually necessary to deal with overall coefficients and the transfer units.

MECHANICALLY
AGITATED EXTRACTORS

Mechanically-agitated columns can be divided into 2 main classes according to

mechanical motion patterns:
Rotary-agitated columns
Reciprocating or vibrating-plate columns

Examples of rotary-agitated columns include:Scheibel columns, rotating disk contactor (RDC),

Oldshue-Rushton Columns, Kuhni columns, etc. An example of the reciprocating column is
theKarr columns.
Because of the mechanical advantages of rotary agitation, most modern extractors employ this
method. Mechanical agitation helps improve the formation of new droplets and increase
interfacial turbulence, resulting in greater efficiency.
These extractors are typically proprietary devices for which complete design procedures are not
publicly available.

In this system, horizontal disks are

used as agitating elements, which
are mounted on a centrally
supported shaft.
Mounted on the column wall and
offset against the agitator disks are
the stator rings, whose have aperture
is greater than the agitator disk
diameter.
This device uses the shearing
action of the rapidly rotating disks to
inter-disperse the phases.

CENTRIFUGAL
EXTRACTOR

Centrifugal extractoralso known as acentrifugal contactor

Principle:Uses the rotation of the rotor inside a centrifugeto mix twoimmiscibleliquids outside the rotor and to
separate the liquids in the field of gravity inside the rotor. This way, a centrifugal extractor generates a
continuousextractionfrom one liquid phase into another liquid phase .

Process Description:Two immiscible liquids of different densities are fed to the separate inlets and are rapidly mixed in the
annular space between the spinning rotor and stationary housing.
The mixed phases are directed toward the centre of the rotor by radial vanes in the housing base.
As the liquids enter the central opening of the rotor, they are accelerated toward the wall.
The mixed phases are rapidly accelerated to rotor speed and separation begins as the liquids are displaced
upward.
A system of weirs at the top of the rotor allow each phase to exit the rotor where it lands in a collector ring
and exits the stage.

CONTINUOUS
CONTACT
Phases flow through the equipment in continuous intimate contact throughout
without repeated physical separation and recontacting
Operation should be either semi-batch or steadystate
Equilibrium between two phases at any position in the equipment is never
established.

CONTINUOUS
CONTACT EXTRACTORS
Countercurrent flow is produced due to difference in densities of liquids
Light liquid enters at the bottom and heavy at the top
Rate for only one liquid can be controlled
If flow rate of second liquid is increased, flooding may take place
Cross section area should large enough to prevent flooding
Method used depends on the stage efficiency
Used only when stage efficiency is low

APPLICATION
Recovery of tightly hydrogen-bonded organics from water; such as formaldehyde,
formic acid and acetic acid
Removal of high boiling organics from wastewater; such as phenol, aniline and
nitrated aromatics
Essential oil extraction; such as pharmaceuticals, flavors, fragrances and food products
Biofuels and chemicals produced by biological processes such as fermentation and
algae often require liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) as the first step in recovery and
purification