Two phases of the extraction column (continuous phase and dispersed phase)
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Our company has just installed a set of extraction equipment (turbine extractors). The feed at the top of the tower consists of both the oil phase and the water phase; the feed at the bottom of the tower is the oil phase. The output from the top of the tower is the oil phase, while the output from the bottom of the tower is the water phase. Currently, we use the oil phase as the dispersed phase and the water phase as the continuous phase. A university professor who is an expert in extraction said that using the oil phase as the continuous phase and the water phase as the dispersed phase would yield better results. I have two questions: 1. Why would the latter approach give better extraction results? 2. How can it be modified (preferably with minimal changes to the existing equipment) so that the oil phase becomes the continuous phase and the water phase becomes the dispersed phase? Please share your opinions and views more: lol
The extraction process requires a large contact area between the two phases; usually, the liquid with a high volumetric flow rate is used as the dispersed phase. The feed to the tower top (oil phase + water phase) should be the heavy phase (higher density). In your plant, if the oil phase is used as the dispersed phase, a sieve plate extractor can be used – all that is needed is to replace the existing downcomer with an upcomer. I have no experience with turbine extractors and am not familiar with their internal components.
The extraction process requires a large contact area between the two phases; usually, the liquid with a high volumetric flow rate is used as the dispersed phase. The feed to the tower top (oil phase + water phase) should be the heavy phase (higher density). In your plant, if the oil phase is used as the dispersed phase, a sieve plate extractor can be used – all that is needed is to replace the existing downcomer with an upcomer. I have no experience with turbine extractors and am not familiar with their internal components.
In our case, it seems that the volume of the oil phase is relatively small. By saying that a small volume is suitable for use as the dispersed phase, do you mean that it’s better to use a phase with a small volume as the dispersed phase, right?
Those with a large volume are suitable as the dispersed phase.
Oh, I’ve learned something new; I hadn’t noticed this before
In extraction, water serves as the continuous phase while the oil phase acts as the dispersed phase. With this approach, isn’t the oil in the aqueous phase more likely to be carried away by the oil phase, resulting in a better extraction effect? But in our process, the amount of the oil phase is very small; according to what you said, a continuous-phase approach would yield better results, which seems a bit contradictory, right? Seeking advice
Dispersed and continuous states refer to the raw materials; generally, those with a larger molecular diameter act as the dispersed phase, as they have a greater contact area and are thus easier to extract
May I ask how to make changes so that the aqueous phase becomes the dispersed phase, and the oil phase (oil layer) becomes the continuous phase?
Come and learn about it*; it’s also a highly specialized field of knowledge that provides valuable guidance for operating extraction towers