Centrifugal contactor with liquid mixing and flow control vanes and method of mixing liquids of different phases
This patent describes a centrifugal contactor for solvent extraction systems. The centrifugal contactor is provided with an annular vertically oriented mixing chamber between the rotor housing and the rotor for mixing process liquids such as the aqueous and organic phases of the solvent extraction process used for nuclear fuel reprocessing. A set of stationary helically disposed vanes carried by the housing is in the lower region of the mixing chamber at a location below the process-liquid inlets for the purpose of urging the liquids in an upward direction toward the inlets and enhancing the mixing of the liquids and mass transfer between the liquids. The upper region of the mixing vessel above the inlets for the process liquids is also provided with a set helically disposed vanes carried by the housing for urging the process liquids in a downward direction when the liquid flow rates through the inlets are relatively high and the liquids contact the vane set in the upper region. The use of these opposing vane sets in the mixing zone maintains the liquid in the mixing zone at suitable levels.
- Assignee:
- US DOE, Washington, DC (USA)
- Patent Number(s):
- A; US 5024647
- Application Number:
- PPN: US 7-365400
- OSTI ID:
- 5789164
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400105 -- Separation Procedures
42 ENGINEERING
420400 -- Engineering-- Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
EXTRACTION
FLOW RATE
FLOW REGULATORS
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
FUELS
INERTIAL SEPARATORS
LIQUIDS
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MIXTURES
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR FUELS
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
SEPARATION EQUIPMENT
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SPENT FUELS
VANES