Homogeneous separation solvent extraction

Like gas absorption, liquid-liquid extraction separates a homogeneous mixture by the addition of another phase - in this case, an immiscible liquid. Liquid-liquid extraction carries out separation by contacting a liquid feed with another immiscible liquid. The equipment used for liquid-liquid extraction is the same as that used for the liquid-liquid reactions illustrated in Figure 7.4. The separation occurs as a result of components in the feed distributing themselves differently between the two liquid phases. The liquid with which the feed is contacted is known as the solvent. The solvent extracts solute from the feed. The solvent-rich stream obtained from the separation is known as the extract and the residual feed from which the solute has been extracted is known as the raffinate. 

Introduction. The production of terephthalic acid (1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid) has several interesting features. First, it is one of the examples of a homogeneous, radical-catalysed oxidation with the use of dioxygen and cobalt salt initiators. Secondly, it is an example of a catalyst/product separation involving a filtration of the product from the liquid that contains the catalyst. Crystallisation on such a huge scale is not very attractive, but the low solubility of phthalic acid in many solvents and the high boiling point do not allow any other solution. Theoretically, a solvent-solvent extraction would be an option, but we are not aware of a viable combination of solvents. 

The tuneable solvent capability of SCCO2 offers the potential for a subtle control of reactions in order to achieve higher selectivities and improved reaction rates. Furthermore, the separation of extractives or, in the case of a synthesis, of reactants, products, and catalysts by simple decompression could be facilitated. The low solubility of many metal complexes and catalysts usually is an obstacle to their exploitation in SCCO2-based processes. For instance, the solubility of a homogeneous catalyst needs to be sufficiently high to ensure participation of all active metal centers during a catalyzed reaction. In particular for reactions, solubility properties are difficult to predict, because the component composition is continuously changed with conversion. 

Solvent extraction takes place through the distribution of a solute or of solutes between two practically immiscible liquids. For a separation to be carried out by solvent extraction, the solute has to transfer from one region of space to another such region, which is physically separated from the first (see Fig. 1.1). In each such region, the solute is dissolved uniformly in a (homogeneous) liquid... 

Oleoresin Black Pepper Obtained by the solvent extraction of the dried fruit of Piper nigrum L. (Fam. Piperaceae) as a dark green, olive green, or olive drab extract usually consisting of an upper oily layer and a lower crystalline layer. It may appear as a homogeneous emulsion if examined shortly after the oleoresin has been homogenized, but the product separates on standing. It may be decolorized by partial removal of chlorophyll. 

The general flow scheme for this alternative is shown in Figure 15. After the homogeneous reaction, catalyzed for instance by a rhodium catalyst containing triphenylphosphine monosulfonic acid as complex ligand, the solubilizer methanol is distilled off. The catalyst system now becomes insoluble and is separated by extraction with water in the third unit. The products C and D, in this case the aldehydes, can be separated as the second liquid phase. After evaporation of the aqueous catalyst solution to dryness (unit 4) the catalyst is dissolved in the solvent methanol for a new reaction step (unit 5). 

The two-phase reaction method using an aqueous homogeneous catalyst enables products to separate by decantation or solvent extraction [3a]. 

In this chapter we consider the separation of species contained in a homogeneous phase, such as a liquid or gas. The separation is based on exploiting a fundamental difference that exists between the species. Section 4.0 gives some overall guidelines. Methods that exploit differences in vapor pressures are evaporation, in Section 4.1 and distillation, in Section 4.2. Methods that exploit differences in freezing temperature and solubility are freeze concentration. Section 4.3, melt crystallization. Section 4.4 and zone refining. Section 4.5. Methods exploiting solubility are solution crystallization. Section 4.6 precipitation. Section 4.7 absorption, Section 4.8, and desorption. Section 4.9. Solvent extraction. Section 4.10, exploits differences in partition coefficient. 

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