Patent ID: 7678275

Claim:
A method for the controlled separation of a dispersion of an aqueous solution and organic solution, formed in the mixing section of an extraction step during metal recovery, into separated aqueous and organic solution phases in the separation section of a liquid-liquid extraction process, the method comprising: a) feeding the dispersion into the separation section having a front end, a rear space, two sidewalls, and a longitudinal axis between the front end and the rear space and between the sidewalls; b) conducting the fed dispersion into an outward flow field of said separation section, which outward flow field is formed by means of a partition wall in the separation section; c) causing separated aqueous and organic solution phases of the fed dispersion to flow substantially in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the separation section; d) damming up of the dispersion flow remaining between the separated aqueous and organic solution phases by at least one reversing element placed in the rear part of the outward flow field extending from a sidewall of the separation section to the partition wall, the reversing element comprising at least a first and a second plate-like components, between which there is a reversing channel; e) turning the direction of flow of the dispersion substantially to a vertical flow; f) reversing by means of the at least one reversing element the direction of flow of the dispersion and separated solution phases in the rear space of the separation section in substantially the opposite direction to form a return flow field; g) returning the dispersion and separated solution phases in the return flow field towards the feed end of the separation section; and h) removing the separated solutions from the separation section.