Counter-current flow
Improve separation through repeated phase contact.
Glass Liquid Extraction Systems
Glass liquid–liquid extraction systems including mixer-settlers, packed columns and agitated extraction columns for visible counter-current separation.
UD Technologies · Vadodara, India
Liquid–liquid separation
Make contacting, droplet behaviour and phase separation visible.
Liquid–liquid extraction transfers a valuable component between immiscible or partly miscible phases using differences in solubility. Effective equipment must create enough interfacial area for mass transfer and then separate the phases cleanly.
Glass extraction systems allow engineers to observe dispersion, coalescence and interface position while optimising solvent ratio, agitation and residence time. They are particularly useful where relative volatility makes distillation difficult or heat exposure would degrade a high-value product.
Visible interfaces
Observe mixing, coalescence and phase disengagement.
Multiple technologies
Mixer-settler, packed and agitated-column options.
SCADA ready
Control and data acquisition can be integrated.
Salient features
Select contacting energy to match mass transfer and separation.
Density difference, emulsion tendency, throughput, solids and required stages determine the extraction technology.
Corrosion-resistant glass
Borosilicate product-contact construction suits aggressive streams.
Optimisable droplet size
Agitation speed can tune interfacial area and settling behaviour.
Modular stages
Columns and mixer-settlers can be extended to increase separation stages.
High-throughput packing
Structured packing provides mass transfer in a compact diameter.
Solids tolerance
Agitated columns can accommodate duties where passive packing is unsuitable.
Pilot testing
Test columns and complete units can operate at the customer site.
Extraction technologies
Compare the principal contacting and settling arrangements.
Final selection follows phase properties, throughput, stage count, available height and interface-control requirements.
Mixer-settler systems
Separate active mixing from gravity settling
Each stage combines a mixing zone with a quiet settling zone and separate heavy- and light-phase withdrawal.
Configuration
- Operation
- Standalone or multiple counter-current stages
- Mixing
- Pump-mix turbine can reduce separate feed-pump requirements
- Separation
- Gravity settling and independent phase withdrawal
- Key design factor
- Coalescence rate of the dispersed phase
Packed extraction columns
High-throughput contacting in a compact column
Liquid distributors and structured packing generate extraction area with comparatively small column diameter.
Configuration
- Contacting
- Counter-current flow through structured packing
- Strength
- High throughput and compact column diameter
- Distribution
- Phase-specific liquid distributors
Agitated and rotating-disc columns
Controlled dispersion for high mass-transfer duties
Mixing turbines or rotating discs repeatedly disperse and settle the phases. Compartment geometry can be adapted as physical properties change along the column.
Pilot-column data
- Column diameters
- DN100 and DN150 test columns
- Compartments
- 10 agitated compartments per 600 mm module
- Decanter diameters
- DN200 and DN300
- Drive motor
- 0.35 or 0.55 kW flameproof motor
- Maximum speed
- 480 or 300 min⁻¹ by column size
- Complete unit
- Pumps, flow meters, interface and speed control available
Related system
Recover solids after extraction.
Use a glass nutsche filter to remove leached solids or recover crystallised product from the extract stream.
Discuss your requirements