Hydrodynamics Study on Annular Centrifugal Contactors: CINC V 02 as an Example

Abstract

Although annular centrifugal extractors (ACCs) have been increasingly applied in the process industry recently, their complex fluid dynamics is still not fully explained in the literature. This could be one of the major reasons why their current industrial implementation is not up to their potential. This work aims to enhance the understanding of ACC hydrodynamics by focusing on liquid holdup and distribution in the variant CINC V 02. First, several sources causing holdup variation are investigated with the help of a model simulating the liquid surface inside the device. Then, the factors determining liquid content in both chambers are presented. The standard shut‐down procedure to measure holdup is eventually elaborated on, and an improved procedure is proposed.

Accumulation of Particles in an Annular Centrifugal Contactor Cascade and the Effect upon the Extraction of Nitric Acid

“…Future work is required to confirm the point at which particle accumulation leads to phase breakthrough and the time at which steady state is reached, which could be performed on a single CC. In addition, altering the geometry [9] could increase the operating window of CCs [6].…”

“…Centrifugal contactors consist of a vertical centrifuge rotor (also referred to as a bowl) inside a static housing, providing both the mixing (between the rotor and static housing, also described as the annulus) and the separating of liquids (within the centrifuge rotor) in a single unit. Clear diagrams of CCs have been produced by Hamamah and Grutzner [2,3].…”

“…Several reviews provide complete descriptions of operations [3][4][5][6][7], design principles [8][9][10], and deployment in nuclear research [11][12][13]. Centrifugal contactors are also deployed in pharmaceutical industries [3] such as Lonza AG in Switzerland [14], biodiesel production [15,16], extraction of high-value biophenols from vegetable oils [17], production of cinnamyl cinnamate [18], extraction of the antibiotic spiramycin [19], extraction of the hormone hydrocortisone [20], enantioselective separation processes [21][22][23][24][25], extraction of caffeine [26], water treatment [27][28][29][30][31], and hydrometallurgy [32]/extraction of rare earth elements [33][34][35].…”

Digital Twin for Centrifugal Extractors Exemplified for pDNA Clarification Process after Lysis

“…For the measurement of the liquid phase hold-up and the disperse phase hold-up, the following procedure is applied, which was used by Schuur and Hamamah: , Start the ACC at the selected rotational frequency Start the pumps Ensure that steady state has been reached by taking multiple samples from the outlets and documenting the changes after four residence times have elapsed Sample from the outlets for phase purity Stop the pumps, and after the discharge of the phases from the outlets has ceased, empty the annulus via the lower outlet Stop the rotor and empty the apparatus, determining the total volume and the phase ratio …”

“…Methods: ACC. For the measurement of the liquid phase hold-up and the disperse phase hold-up, the following procedure is applied, which was used by Schuur and Hamamah: 16,29 1. Start the ACC at the selected rotational frequency 2.…”