Hydrodynamic characterisation of hollow fibre modules for liquid-liquid extraction

McCulloch, JK; Macnaughton, SJ; Soldenhoff, KH

Hydrodynamic characterisation of hollow fibre modules for liquid-liquid extraction

Date

1999-09-26

Authors

McCulloch, JK

Macnaughton, SJ

Soldenhoff, KH

Publisher

The Institution of Australian Engineers

Abstract

Liquid-liquid extraction in hollow fibre contactors has been widely investigated in recent years. These techniques have a number of advantages over conventional solvent extraction, where the phases are dispersed; solvent losses due to entrainment and separation problems are avoided, there are no density constraints on the organic phase, the flow rates of each phase may be varied independently, and the system can be efficiently operated under non-equilibrium conditions. The hollow fibre membranes used in these processes are generally housed in modules of a shell and tube configuration and thorough characterisation of the hollow fibre modules, including hydrodynamic behaviour and the effects of fibre swelling and packing density is required. Swelling occurs in a range of solvents, and will affect the interfacial area and hydrodynamics of the module, which in turn influences the overall mass transfer performance. In this study, modules containing microporous polypropylene hollow fibres (600 mum i.d.) were constructed with fibre packing densities ranging from 18 % to 64 %. The influence of fibre swelling and packing density on hydrodynamic performance was investigated and where possible correlated with published theory. The consequences of the observed behaviour are discussed in terms of mass transfer within the HFCLM process.

Description

Physical copy held as a CD at DDC: 660.20994/14

Keywords

Fibers, Extraction, Solvent extraction, Flow rate, Density, Polypropylene, Hydrodynamics

Citation

McCulloch, J. K., Macnaughton, S. J., & Soldenhoff, K. H. (1998). Hydrodynamic characterisation of hollow fibre modules for liquid-liquid extraction. Paper presented to Chemeca '99 : Chemical engineering, solutions in a changing environment, Newcastle City Hall Convention Centre, Newcastle - Australia, 26-29 September 1999. In Chemica '99 Program Papers : Chemical engineering, solutions in a changing environment, Newcastle City Hall Convention Centre, Newcastle - Australia, 26-29 September 1999.