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EXTRACTION
SEPARATIONS
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EXTRACTION - THE SCIENCE

Solvent extraction is not always well served by the standard tools for process design and simulation; in particular:
  • Equilibrium calculation techniques (eg. UNIFAQ/UNIQUAC) which work well for vapour-liquid processes, often perform poorly for liquid-liquid systems.
  • Liquid counterflow in an extractor is complex: capacity depends on drop size, and drops both break and coalesce. So good hydrodynamic modelling is essential.
  • Conventional simulation software tends to be strong on thermodynamics but not mass transfer. Solute transfer between liquids is pivotal to extraction.
  • Hydrodynamics and mass transfer in industrial systems can be profoundly influenced by trace contaminants.
  • Settlers and decanters are often designed significantly oversize, due to poor scale-up.
Extractor Doctor provides a practical approach to scale-up and process design, reinforced by state-of-the-art models of real predictive power. Extractor Doctor brings:
  • Guidance in solvent selection, based on shortlisting, testing and ease of recovery.
  • Selection, design and scale up of  Rotating Disc, Kuhni, Packed, Pulsed Sieve Plate and Karr columns, using proven models for capacity and performance, even in 'dirty' systems.
  • Specialist methods of mixer-settler design.

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