STUDYING SOLVENT EXTRACTION SETTLER PROCESS BY USINGCFD

摘要

The liquid-liquid dispersion phases are separated by gravity in a solvent extraction settler. Thisseparation step is made more effective by picket fences. The picket fence geometry and itsphysical placement have a significant effect on the separation process, because the purpose of afence is to smoothen and control organic-aqueous dispersion flow in the first part of the settlerand achieve a deep and dense dispersion layer in the front end of the settler resulting in a cleanphase separation.In this study, physical phenomena in the solvent extraction process and phase separation in asolvent extraction settler with and without picket fences have been examined using acommercial CFX software package. It can be concluded that the used CFD-approach proved tobe a complementary tool for optimizing and designing the solvent extraction settler.