Microextraction of lanthanum using a rotating microchannel extractor Scientific paper

Abstract

This work introduced a novel microchannel extractor. The extraction system was intended to extract lanthanum nitrate aqueous solution with 2-ethyl­hexyl phosphoric acid-2-ethylhexyl ester (EHEHPA). Different feeding methods and inner rotors were explored first. The results showed that parallel feeding and inner rotors engraved with spiral stripes were more favorable for extract­ion. Next, the effect of various factors on the extraction was explored, inc­lud­ing the aqueous phase pH, rotational inner rotor speed (R) and the fluid volu­metric flow rate (Q). The results showed that these factors are closely related to the extraction. Finally, the experiment was verified by CFD numerical simul­ation, the simulation result was consistent with the experiment. In this device, active mixing was introduced into the microchannel extraction, which signific­antly improved the extraction efficiency. Under certain conditions, the extract­ion efficiency of this device exceeded stirring extraction equilibrium. More­over, the extraction in the device is faster than with conventional stirring ext­ract­ion. These advantages provide a possibility for highly efficient extraction of rare earth elements.