Staged contacting

Industrial-scale adsorption processes can be classified as batch or continuous (53,54). In a batch process, the adsorbent bed is saturated and regenerated in a cychc operation. In a continuous process, a countercurrent staged contact between the adsorbent and the feed and desorbent is estabhshed by either a tme or a simulated recirculation of the adsorbent. 

The component C in the separated extract from the stage contact shown in Eigure 1 may be separated from the solvent B by distillation (qv), evaporation (qv), or other means, allowing solvent B to be reused for further extraction. Alternatively, the extract can be subjected to back-extraction (stripping) with solvent A under different conditions, eg, a different temperature again, the stripped solvent B can be reused for further extraction. Solvent recovery (qv) is an important factor in the economics of industrial extraction processes. 

Practical separation techniques for hquid particles in gases are discussed. Since gas-borne particulates include both hquid and sohd particles, many devices used for dry-dust collection (discussed in Sec. 17 under Gas-Sohds Separation ) can be adapted to liquid-particle separation. Also, the basic subject of particle mechanics is covered in Sec. 6. Separation of liquid particulates is frequently desirable in chemical processes such as in countercurrent-stage contacting because hquid entrainment with the gas partially reduces true countercurrency. Separation before entering another process step may be needed to prevent corrosion, to prevent yield loss, or to prevent equipment damage or malfunc tion. Separation before the atmospheric release of gases may be necessaiy to prevent environmental problems and for regula-toiy compliance. 

Packed Tubes Cocurrent flow of immiscible hquids through a packed tube produces a one-stage contact, characteristic of hne mixers. For flow of isobutanol-water through a 0.5-in diameter tube packed with 6 in of 3-mm glass beads, Leacock and Churchill [Am. Jn.st. Chem. Eng. J., 7, 196 (1961)] find... 

Industrial-scale adsorption processes can be classified as batch or continuous. In a batch process, die adsorbent bed is saturated and regenerated in a cyclic, operation. In a continuous process, a countercurrent staged contact between lire adsorbent and die feed and desorbent is established by cidier a true or a simulated recirculation of die adsorbent. The efficiency of an adsorption process is significantly higher in a eoiuinuous mode of operation than in a cyclic batch mode. For difficult separations, batch operation may require 25 times more adsorbent inventory and twice die desorbent circulation rate than does a continuous operation. In addition, in a batch mode, the four functions of adsorption, purification, desorption, and displacement of the desorbent from the adsorbent are inflexibly linked, wtiereas a continuous mode allows mure degrees of freedom with respect to these functions, and thus a better overall operation. 

Fig. 10.8 Flow diagram for the single-stage contact filtration unit.

The total amount of adsorbent is 6.7g which is significantly less than what was calculated for single-stage contact filtration. It should be noted that the minimum amount of adsorbent usage is realized when a larger amount of the adsorbent is fed to the first stage followed by the smaller amount to the second stage. 

Relative volatility Ratio of the K values of two components a measure of the ease with which the two components can be separated by distillation. Theoretical stage Contact process between vapor and liquid such that the exiting vapor and liquid streams are in equilibrium. 

Figure 7.44 Sequence in the formation of a thrombus at a surface involving three stages contact, adhesion and thrombus growth.

FIGURE 9.11 Rectangular glass capillary cell used in vertical-stage contacting experiments. 

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