Patent ID: 6051112
Filing Date: 2000-04-18
Classification: B01D,B03C

Abstract:
A method for the extraction of a solute from an aqueous feed solution into an aqueous stripping solution, the method comprising the steps of providing at least one stream of each of said feed solution and said stripping solution passing through a continuous phase of a non-polar carrier liquid; said carrier liquid having therein a chemical having an affinity for ions of at least one species in said solute in said feed solution; each of said at least one streams of feed and stripping solutions being under the influence of a first and second high voltage electrostatic field, respectively, for at least a part of their passage time through said carrier liquid so as to break up said streams into a multiplicity of droplets of each of said solutions; providing baffle means between said at least one streams of each of the feed and stripping solutions, the baffle means being to minimise transfer of feed solution towards said stripping solution stream and transfer of said stripping solution towards said feed solution stream; said baffle means also being positioned between the separate high voltage electrostatic fields to which the feed and stripping solution streams are subjected; and, providing mutually separated receiving means to collect the streams of said feed and said stripping solutions after they pass out of said high voltage electrostatic field; said method being characterised in that said first and second high voltage electrostatic fields to which said feed and stripping streams are subjected are of different electrostatic field intensities.