a
16.4 Liquid-Liquid Separeton 773
Length fy = 430092 = 32 m,
Hokdsap volume = 0.33237 5 123
/00289 = 426 = 7 minutes
This is wnsatisfactory, as 1 mines einimnany is required
We need 10 increase the liq volume, This is best done by increasing the vessel diameter. [the lig
height is kept at hall the vessel diameter, the diasseter mus he inereased ya factor of omy (LTP = 12
Now Dy =092X 1.25 Ll m
(Check lg residence ime
x
4
new higuid voluexe = XM.5x(4x 11) = 2009 8
new residence ie = 209/0000289 = 7236=
Increasing the vessel diameter will have also changed the vapor velocity and the height abowe the lg
saiiace. The lil separation wil ill he saistactory as the velaiy, andl hence the residence sie, is inversely
Proportional to the diameter squared whereas the distance the droplets have to fal) s dineetly properional #0
the siameter
In practice the distance traveled by the sapar wll be Jess than the vessel length, ss the vapor inlet and out-
16.4 LIQUID-LIQUID SEPARATION
Separation of sw liquid phases. immiscite ar partslly miscible quid. is a common requirement
in the process industries. For example, in single-stage Iguid-liquid extraction, the liquid contacting
step must be followed by a seithng stage. Iris alo often negessary to separate small quantities of
entrained water from organi phase provess steams. The Simplest forma of equipnient used 10 sepa
rate Tiyuid phases is she seiting tank, the decanter. Various types of proprietary equipment
ae also used to promote caslescence ank! inpaowe separation in difficult systems, or where emt le
sons are likely to Form, Centnhiges and hyeeyclones ate also use
Liquid: liqid exsraction can alo be carsied out as multist.
.e countercurrent process. ‘This is
16.4.1 Decanters (Settlers)
bs
Liquids for the droplets to settle eadily. Decanters sre essentially tanks tht
the in
1 dlistinet zones or bails: clear h
tiga
santers are used ta separate liguids where there is a sufficient difference in density between the
sullicient reside
time for the droplets of the dispersed phase to rise (or sestle) face between she phase
avy liquid
sand coalesce. In un opetatin
separating dispersed liyuid (he dispersion zone), and clear |774 CHAPTER 16 Separation of Fluids
s the same design principles apply
Decanters sae normally designed for continues operation
nters, but for most applications a
to batch operated uniss. Many vessel shapes are used for
wah oF without the use of
igure 16.13
pressine balance. Neglecting friction
hr of the heavy and highs liquiel nthe
Figure 16.13
es 16.13 und 16.14, The position of the intert
the height of the take-off ean be determined by makin,
loss in the pipes. the pressure exerted by the combined he
hence
68
where p= densiy of the lshs igus het
ppesdennty ofthe heavy tg bet?
vent
Lan, 7 tes Hoavy
liquid EEL liquid
te tot
Ny ng NI
Datum
FHGURE 16.13,
Vertical dea
peta ‘ont
Le _, Heavy
Hi
FIGURE 16.14
Honzorta caa
16.4 Liquid-Liquid Separeton 775
Liaht
Tia
FIGURE 16.15
level contol oi
w from: data +0 Hight liquid overflow, a
ht trom datum t@ heavy Kquid overflows, ot
ftom datum to the interface, m
‘he height of the liquid interf
close. when one component is present only in small quantties, or when the throug
ve should be measured accurately when che liquid densities we
hput is very
sauall. A gpical scheme for the automatic contol of the interface, using a level insteumient that can
Figure 16.15. Where one phase is present only in
small amounts itis offen reeyeled so the dee:
teed to give more stable operation.
Decanter Design
A rough estimate of the decanter volume required ean be made by taking a holup time of S to 10
minutes, which is usually stficient where emulsions are not bkely co fom. Methods for the design
Hooper 11997) a7 Signales (2975), The general spproach taken is out
Example 16.4
‘he decanter vessel is sized on the basis that the velocity of the continuous phase must be less
than the setling velocity ofthe droplets of the dispersed phase. Plug flow is ssurned, andl the velo
ay of the continuous phase is ealeulsted using the ares of the interface
Le 9
w= Bay 6
ertling velocity of the dispersed phase droplets, mis
loci of the continuous phase mis
£,=contimious phase volumette flow rate, mis
A
where,
wea of the interface, of
Stokes? Richardson er af (2002 Chapter 3) is used to determine the settling vel
the droplets
6.10)
koplet diameter, m
crtling fterminal) velocity of the dispersed phase droplets with diameter dk misa
776 CHAPTER 16
ation of Fluids
pe =dlensity of the continuous phase, ke
pam density of the dispersed phase, ky/nr
c= viscosity of the continuous phase, N sfor
favitaional acveleration, 9.81 avs
Equation 16.10is used to calculate the settling velocity with an assurned droplet size of 150 jam,
which is well below the droplet sizes norauilly found in decanter feeds. Ifthe calculated seting
velocity is greater dhan 4% 107° rw, then « figure of 4 107° nus is used
For a honzoncal, eylindical, decanter vessel, the interfacial area will depend on the position of
and
where
width of the interface, m1
hei
nt of the amterface from the buse of the vessel, m,
th of the cylinder, m
rrenudius of the eylinder, m
For a vertical, eylindrical decanter
Asa
‘The position of the interface should be such that the band of droplets that collect at the interface
Ryon, Daley, and Lownie (1959) a0 Mizrahi and Barnea (1973) have shown thas the depth of the
dispersion band is « function of the liquid flow sate and the interfacial area, A value of 105% oF the
decanter height is usually taken for design purposes. If the performance of the decanter is hkely to
be critical to process performance. the design ean be investigated using
seule models. The model
should be sealed to operste at the sume Reynolds number us the proposed design, so that the effect
Hooper (1975),
Design a decanter to separate Hight oi fom ster
The vil is the dispersed phase
Oil, flow rate 1008 kefh, density 90 kant, viseosity 3 mN Siar
Water, Now rate SOD kai, density IHW kgin® wisosity LmN siSolution
a
16.4 Liquid-Liquid Separeton 777
Tale ej= 180 yn
As the flow
Take the he
Take the dispersion bard as HSE ofthe heh
Choo the
This is satisfactory as time of
(1S 10- 0816900 1000)
Isxixii
2.0012 mis, = 12 mmistrising}
1
resis and =e
= 4
13010
— "on
‘Lie
=061m
y
diameter =
jl as tice the dancer a reasonable Gale Fr ds
height= 2am
02
24
5 sminttes is normally recomended for canta pamoses. Check the
sizeof the water (continous, heasy phase) droplets that could be entrained with the wl light phase
Veloe
ot oilphase =
7a
om TB
=27x10
Equation 1610
which is sasfactory
Ly
xii xis ax ior)!
‘STI = 90
12x10 mS 12hpm
sl 150 jan)778 CHAPTER 16 Separation of Fluids
Tio minimize entainment by the jet of laid entering the vessel, dhe inlet velocity Fors decanter shuld be Sept
below mus
non, San)
x
T
LPXNO x4 <1 m, say
Flow rate= SLX ms
Areao! pipe =
=17«10
Pipediamoter =
Take the position of the interface as hallway up the vessel and the light Liguid offtake as at 90%% of the
vessel height. thea
=0.9x24=2.16m
95x24= 12m 68)
Xone 1 say
4.2m
Dain valves should be filed atthe interface so that aay tesdeney for an emulsion wo form ean be cheeked
-
16.4.2 Plate Separators
Sucks of horizontal, parallel, phates are used in some proprietary decanter designs to inereuse the
interfacial area per unit volume and so reduce turbulence, They effectively convert the decanter
16.4.3 Coalescers
Proprietary equipment, in which the dispersion is forved through some form of eoaleseing medium
is offen used for the eoslescence and separation of finely dispersed droplei
that is preferentially wet
A medium is chosen
by the dispersed phase; knitted! wire or plastic mesh, beds of fibrous,