초록 ▼

An improved liquid-liquid solvent extraction system is provided having a mixing stage which includes a mixing device for creating a dispersion of the two liquid phases followed by a residence chamber designed to enhance contacting and mass transfer between the solute and solvent phases. The separati

An improved liquid-liquid solvent extraction system is provided having a mixing stage which includes a mixing device for creating a dispersion of the two liquid phases followed by a residence chamber designed to enhance contacting and mass transfer between the solute and solvent phases. The separating stage includes a drop size conditioning device which establishes a drop size in the discontinuous liquid phase of the dispersion which can be separated easily from the continuous liquid phase in the succeeding settling stage of the device. The drop size conditioning device also acts to reduce entrainment of the solvent phase in the solute phase during separation of the phases. The settling device may contain a series of baffles to reduce the time required for phase separation and to reduce entrainment of the solvent phase in the solute phase. The system is used to extract metal ions such as uranium, copper, cobalt, nickel, and vanadium from aqueous process streams containing dilute concentrations of such ions. Hydrocarbon solvents which are partially or totally immiscible in water are used to extract the metal ions and may contain additives such as complex-forming agents to aid in the mass transfer of metal ions to the solvent phase. After contacting and separation of the phases, the metal ions are recovered from the hydrocarbon solvent.

대표청구항 ▼

A process for recovering a metal ion from aqueous solutions containing dilute solutions of such metal ion comprising the steps of: initially mixing said aqueous solution with a solvent extraction liquid immiscible with said aqueous solution to create a dispersion of drops of aqueous solution of a si

A process for recovering a metal ion from aqueous solutions containing dilute solutions of such metal ion comprising the steps of: initially mixing said aqueous solution with a solvent extraction liquid immiscible with said aqueous solution to create a dispersion of drops of aqueous solution of a size in said extraction liquid which will maximize the mass transfer which occurs between said drops of aqueous solution and said extraction liquid; maintaining, without further mixing, said dispersion for a time sufficient for mass transfer of said metal ion from said aqueous solution to said extraction liquid to occur; further mixing said dispersion of drops of aqueous solution in extraction liquid to establish a narrow range of drop sizes within said dispersion which will minimize both the time necessary for separation of said drops of aqueous solution from said extraction liquid and the entrainment of said drops of aqueous solution in said extraction liquid; separating said drops of aqueous solution from said extraction liquid; and recovering said metal ion from said extraction liquid.