An open type of reciprocating-plate extraction column was developed, and it is proposed that the scaling up of such a column should be straightforward; that is, the height of an equivalent theoretical stage (H.E.T.S.) and the throughput per unit area should be independent of the diameter of the column.Plates having 5/8-in.-diameter holes and 62.8% free space were selected to minimize the resistance to countercurrent flow in the column. With this design low H.E.T.S. values were achieved at throughputs much higher than those reported for other columns. Thus for two systems the present column was shown to require the lowest volume of column to accomplish a given extraction job. Data were obtained in a 3-in.-diameter column on two systems, methyl isobutyl ketone-acetic acid-water and o-xylene-acetic acid-water. Throughputs studied on the first system ranged from 547 to 1,837 gal./hr./sq. ft., and the corresponding minimum H.E.T.S. values achieved were 4.3 and 7.5 in. respectively. For the second system minimum H.E.T.S. values of 7.7 and 9.1 in. were attained at throughputs of 424 and 804 gal./hr./sq. ft. respectively.Extraction column design procedures are discussed. The fabrication of the reciprocatingplate column is relatively simple, and this should encourage its use first in pilot-scale sizes and ultimately in large-scale columns.The ideal extraction column is one which has a high capacity and a high efficiency. It should also be easy to construct and capable of being scaled up from small test sizes to commercial columns in a simple, reliable manner. The purpose of the present work was to attempt to develop an extraction column which approaches these ideal require-CRANK

No abstract

No abstract

Axial mixing measurements in single phase (water) flow have been taken in open-type reciprocating plate columns of diameters 25.4 and 508 mm. In the case of the smaller column, two-phase axial mixing was measured, both in the dispersed phase (water dispersed in n-heptane) and the continuous phase (with n-heptane dispersed in water). Pulse injection of a tracer solution of ammonium chloride and methanol in water was used.Under single phase conditions, the axial dispersion coefficients were found to go through a minimum as the agitation level was increased from zero. The coefficients were nearly an order of magnitude higher in the 508 m m column than in the 25.4 m m column. In two phase flow in the 25.4 m m column, the continuous phase axial dispersion coefficients

No abstract