Membrane solvent extraction is a dispersion-free separation process which can overcome the application limitations of conventional solvent extraction, such as flooding, intimate mixing, limitations on independent phase flow rate variations, requirement of density difference and inability to handle particulate. Cross-flow membrane extractors generally consists of two perpendicular channels for the fluids a and b, respectively, which are immiscible and separated by a microporous membrane sheet through which solute is extracted and transferred perpendicularly to its exposed surfaces. In the case that fluids a and b are miscible, then the pores of the membrane are filled with another fluid (phase c) which is immiscible with these two fluids. The solute is extracted from phase a to c and then to b, or vice versa.
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