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A Multi‐Stream Microchip for Process Intensification of Liquid‐Liquid Extraction
Author(s) -
Kriel Frederik H.,
Binder Claudia,
Priest Craig
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
chemical engineering and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-4125
pISSN - 0930-7516
DOI - 10.1002/ceat.201600728
Subject(s) - liquid–liquid extraction , aqueous solution , extraction (chemistry) , contactor , microfluidics , chemistry , volumetric flow rate , mass transfer , electronic circuit , solvent , liquid metal , process engineering , analytical chemistry (journal) , chromatography , materials science , nanotechnology , mechanics , thermodynamics , organic chemistry , power (physics) , electrical engineering , physics , engineering
Solvent extraction is a critical step in many industrial mineral‐processing circuits and is affected by chemical (e.g., metal ions, extractant, pH, reaction rate) and physical (e.g., interfacial phenomena, mass transport, temperature) factors. Here, a new type of microfluidic contactor is presented that enables higher volumetric throughputs and straightforward counter‐current operation compared with Y‐Y chips. A single chip design can handle a wide range of organic/aqueous phase ratios, thereby enabling stable operation for non‐ideal solutions and fluctuating flow. An expression defining this widened operational window has been derived based on the relative stream geometries and liquid viscosities. A two‐stage counter‐current circuit is demonstrated for the extraction of platinum(IV) chloride.