GB1020213A - Apparatus and methods for bringing two or more phases into intimate contact - Google Patents

Abstract

1,020,213. Centrifugal liquid-liquid contacting apparatus; treating gases with liquids; evaporation of liquids; rotary homogenizer. W. GLASER. Dec. 10, 1962 [Jan. 18, 1962; April 4, 1962; June 7, 1962], Nos. 1978/62, 12932/62 and 22123/62. Headings BIB, B1F, B1L, B1R and B1V. [Also in Division F4] Centrifugal apparatus for bringing two or more phases into intimate contact or for the evaporation of liquids, comprises a stator b surrounding a rotor a consisting of layers i of expanded metal sheet mounted at right angles to an axial shaft f, the layers being assembled so that the zig-zag profilations of the metal strands of adjacent layers touch and/or overlap but there is sufficient free space left within the rotor for the phases to be centrifuged through it when the rotor is driven, e.g. by a motor connected to pulley c by belts. The rotor may be driven at such angular velocities that sonic and ultrasonic waves are produced by the rapidly moving strands of expanded metal. The apparatus may be used for the evaporation of liquid under vacuum; films of liquid are formed on the metallic strands, or the liquid is also subjected to atomization. The apparatus may be used for washing furnace gases with liquids, contacting air with water or an aqueous salt solution, or drying gases such as HCl, HF, SO 2 and H 2 S with dehydrating-liquids such as H 2 SO 4 . The gas is introduced through inlet o, and the liquid is fed through pipes n into the hollow axial region d of the rotor. Part of the liquid spray discharged from the rotor runs down the wall of the stator into vessel k, and part is collected in channel j. If desired, some of the liquid may be returned to the rotor. Sea water may be used in the treatment of furnace gases, in which case soft water is obtainable from the effluent gases. The apparatus may be used for liquid-liquid extractions, e.g. the extraction of uranyl nitrate from leaching brine with a solvent comprising tributyl phosphate and hydrocarbons, and the extraction of formic and acetic acids from cellulose black liquors with methyl ethyl ketone. The apparatus may also be used for emulsifying two immiscible liquids, and for emulsifying gases in liquids e.g. aeration of liquids. Several units of apparatus may be superposed to form a distillation column. When the apparatus is used for spray drying, e.g. of soft fruit, the axis of the rotor is preferably horizontal. The apparatus can also be used as a burner (see Division F4).