Liquid-liquid extractor and battery comprising such extractors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12017153-B2
Application number	US-202117486122-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2021
Priority date	Oct 2, 2020
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

These liquid-liquid extractors are adapted to very low fluid flow rates passing through them. In order to reduce the influence of capillarity and air phenomena that may make the flow irregular, the outlet ducts comprise, downstream of the settling cell where the heavy and light phases separate, overflows of the phases the edge of which is irregular in height, for example serrated. The circulation channels of the phases are advantageously open to also reduce the risks of blocking by air bubbles.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Liquid-liquid extractor comprising a block hollowed with a mixing cell and a settling cell in communication, inlet ducts of two liquid phases leading to the mixing cell from opposite lateral faces of the block and outlet ducts of the two liquid phases leading from the settling cell to the opposite lateral faces of the block, wherein openings of the inlet and outlet ducts of one phase on the opposite lateral faces are in alignment in a direction perpendicular to the opposite lateral faces, and openings of the inlet and outlet ducts of the other phase are likewise in alignment in this direction, wherein the outlet ducts are equipped with overflows adjacent to the settling cell, and each provided with an overflow edge of the liquid phases having an irregular height in the form of a broken line delimiting a plurality of reliefs, further comprising settling equipment that can be plugged into the settling cell by translation and comprising a drawdown plate plunging into the settling cell and continuous up to a guard distance with a bottom of the settling cell.

2. Liquid-liquid extractor according to claim 1 , wherein the overflow edge of one at least of the overflows consists of a plurality of indentations narrowing downwardly up to a zero width and formed by two oblique edges.

3. Liquid-liquid extractor according to claim 1 , wherein the overflow edge of at least one of the overflows is serrated, consisting of identical and uniformly distributed reliefs.

4. Liquid-liquid extractor according to claim 1 , wherein one of the overflows is placed at a junction between the settling cell and the outlet duct of one of said liquid phases known as light phase.

5. Liquid-liquid extractor according to claim 1 , wherein another of the overflows is placed in an inlet well of the outlet duct of another of the liquid phases known as heavy phase, at an adjustable height in the inlet well.

6. Liquid-liquid extractor according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet ducts include channels open at an upper face of the block.

7. Liquid-liquid extractor according to claim 6 , wherein the channels extend parallel to the opposite lateral faces of the block, where the outlet ducts open, over at least half of a length of the block, measured parallel to the opposite lateral faces, the inlet and outlet ducts of the heavy phase issuing from the block at locations aligned according to a first line perpendicular to the opposite lateral faces, and the inlet and outlet ducts of the light phase issuing from the block at locations aligned according to a second line perpendicular to the opposite lateral faces.

8. Liquid-liquid extractor according to claim 7 , wherein the channels each have a width equal to at least one third of a width, measured perpendicular to the opposite lateral faces, of the settling cell.

9. Liquid-liquid extractor according to claim 1 , further comprising a third overflow between the mixing cell and the settling cell, provided with an overflow edge of the liquid phases having an irregular height in the form of a broken line delimiting a plurality of reliefs.

10. Liquid-liquid extractor according to claim 1 , wherein the settling equipment comprises a coalescence grid, plunging into the settling cell.

11. Liquid-liquid extractor according to claim 10 , wherein the equipment comprises a second coalescence grid, the coalescence grids having opposite wettability properties with regard to one of the liquid phases.

12. Liquid-liquid extractor according to claim 1 , wherein the block includes a console on an upper face of which a recirculation pump may be installed, the recirculation pump being provided with vertical suction and discharge tubes respectively plunging into the outlet duct of one of the liquid phases and into a recycling well, hollowed into the block and communicating with the mixing cell.

13. Liquid-liquid extraction battery comprising at least one liquid-liquid extractor according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one extractor and end modules are aligned and tightened on a support, the end modules comprising connections to circuits of the countercurrent liquid phases in the battery, the inlets and the outlets of each of the phases being in extension between the extractors.

14. Liquid-liquid extraction battery according to claim 13 , further comprising dividing plates tightened against the extractors and supporting seals surrounding the inlet and outlet openings of the liquid phases.

15. Liquid-liquid extraction battery according to claim 13 , wherein the liquid-liquid extractors, the end modules, and optionally the dividing plates are interlocked on a rail constituting the support by being able to slide along the rail.

16. Liquid-liquid extraction battery according to claim 13 , wherein the support contains a heater mat.

17. Liquid-liquid extraction battery according to claim 13 , further comprising a device for circulating coolant passing through the block of the at least one liquid-liquid extractor.

18. Liquid-liquid extraction battery according to claim 15 , wherein, for each of the extractors, the channels extend parallel to the opposite lateral faces of the block, where the outlet ducts open, over at least half of a length of the block, measured parallel to the opposite lateral faces, the inlet and outlet ducts of the heavy phase issue from the block at locations aligned according to a first line perpendicular to the opposite lateral faces, and the inlet and outlet ducts of the light phase issue from the block at locations aligned according to a second line perpendicular to the opposite lateral faces, and the extractors are all placed with their homologous constituents aligned according to lines parallel to the rail.

19. Liquid-liquid extraction battery according to claim 18 , wherein a portion of the extractors is transparent, the portion delimiting the settling cells.

Assignees

• Commissariat Energie Atomique

Inventors

• Roussel Hervé
• Dutilh Frank

Classifications

• B01D2011/002

  Counter-current extraction · CPC title

• B01D11/0453

  with narrow passages limited by plates, walls, e.g. helically coiled tubes (B01D11/0461 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• B01D11/0446

  Juxtaposition of mixers-settlers · CPC title

• B01D11/0492 Primary

  Applications, solvents used · CPC title