Multicomponent counter mass transfer in liquid-liquid extraction in presence of spontaneous interfacial convection

Abstract

An experimental study on multicomponent mass transfer in the process of liquid-liquid extraction influenced by spontaneous interfacial convection (SIC) in the presence of a surface-active material is reported. The extractive systems, which investigated in the present study, are aqueous solution of potassium iodide/carbon tetrachloride and aqueous solution of potassium iodide/butyl acetate. Counter mass transfer of the components, acetic acid and iodine, were mainly studied and it has been observed that both the components mutually affect the kinetics of individual mass transfer. Presence of acetic acid, which is a surface active agent, beyond a critical driving force for mass transfer, induces spontaneous interfacial convection due to a development of gradient of interfacial tension along the interface of two extracting liquid. Interestingly, it was observed that in spite of the local disturbance developed due to SIC, counter mass transfer slows down the transfer rates of both the components in the system. The kinetic regularities of the mutual influence of the components on mass transfer are considered in the work. The work has significant values in understanding the kinetics of the multicomponent mass transfer and can be applied to selectively restrict the mass transfer of some components in a multi-component extractive system.