Non-equilibrium staged extraction

Figure 3.52. Model representation of a non-equilibrium staged extraction column.

At the prevailing high levels of dispersion normally encountered in such types of extraction columns, the behaviour of these essentially differential type contactors, however, can be represented by the use of a non-equilibrium stage-wise model. 

Other observations of the reaction of hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide substantiate the production of non-equilibrium combustion products. Non-equilibrium product concentrations were found in combustion gases extracted from a small rocket combustion chamber through a molecular beam sampling device with direct mass spec-trometric analysis (31) (39). Under oxidizer rich conditions excessive amounts of nitric oxide were found under fuel rich conditions excessive amounts of ammonia were found. A correlation between the experimentally observed characteristic velocity and nitric oxide concentration exists (40). Related kinetic effects are postulated to account for the two stage flame observed in the burning of hydrazine droplets in nitrogen dioxide atmospheres (41) (42). 

The actual stage can be a mixing vessel, as in a mixer-settler used for solvent extraction applications, or a plate of a distillation or gas absorption column. In order to allow for non-ideal conditions in which the compositions of the two exit streams do not achieve full equilibrium, an actual number of stages can be related to the number of theoretical stages, via the use of a stage-efficiency factor. 

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