Fluid processing method including extraction

• US 9,764,250 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2012
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: M Technique Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: M Technique Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Araki, Kaeko, Honda, Daisuke, Enomura, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Stelling, Lucas
• Assistant Examiner(s): OLIVERA, ANGEL J
• Application Number:
  US14/125,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20140110336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,945 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/04 of solutions which are liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0461 mixing by counter-current streams provoked by centrifugal force
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0465 comprising vibrating mechanisms, radiations
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0476 Moving receptacles, e.g. rotating receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/048 Mixing by counter-current streams provoked by centrifugal force, in rotating coils or in other rotating spaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/271 with means for moving the materials to be mixed radially between the surfaces of the rotor and the stator
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/2712 provided with ribs, ridges or grooves on one surface
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/2714 the relative position of the stator and the rotor, gap in between or gap with the walls being adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7176 using pumps

Abstract

The problem addressed by the present invention is providing a fluid processing method including extraction that can extract material to be extracted continuously with high efficiency. In a thin film fluid formed between at least two processing surfaces (1, 2) disposed facing each other so as to be able to approach to and separate from each other such that at least one rotates relative to the other, a fluid processing that extracts at least one kind of material to be extracted in at least one kind of the extraction solvent that can extract that material to be extracted is carried out. In addition, the fluid containing at least one kind of material to be extracted and a fluid for extraction that contains the at least one kind of extraction solvent are mixed in the thin film fluid formed between the at least two processing surfaces (1, 2) disposed facing each other so as to be able to approach to and separate from each other such that at least one rotates relative to the other, and a fluid processing process that extracts the at least one kind of material to be extracted into the at least one kind of extraction solvent is carried out.

Claims

1. A fluid processing method, comprising:

preparing at least two fluids to be processed, the at least two fluids including;

a first fluid, being one of a fluid containing at least one kind of a material to be extracted and an extracting fluid containing at least one kind of extraction solvent that is capable of extracting said material to be extracted; and

a second fluid, being the other of the fluid containing the at least one kind of the material to be extracted and the extracting fluid containing the at least one kind of extraction solvent that is capable of extracting said material to be extracted;

introducing the at least two fluids into a processing device, the processing device comprising;

at least two processing surfaces facing each other, at least one of the at least two processing surfaces rotating relative to the other about a rotating shaft, the at least two processing surfaces being capable of approaching to and separating from each other in an axial direction of the rotating shaft;

maintaining a space between the at least two processing surfaces by a balance between a force that moves the at least two processing surfaces in a separating direction and a force that moves the at least two processing surfaces in an approaching direction,

wherein the processing device includes;

a first flow path for introducing the first fluid into the space between the at least two processing surfaces; and

a second flow path, independent of the first flow path, for introducing the second fluid, the second flow path leading to at least one opening formed on at least one of the at least two processing surfaces, the second fluid being introduced into the space between the at least two processing surfaces through the at least one opening, and

wherein the first fluid is introduced into the space between the at least two processing surfaces through the first flow path, forming a thin film fluid; and

the second fluid is introduced into the thin film fluid of a laminar flow formed by the first fluid through the at least one opening;

mixing the first fluid and the second fluid under the condition of the laminar flow as a thinned film;

extracting the material to be extracted into the extraction solvent;

discharging a mixed solution of the first fluid and the second fluid from the space between the at least two processing surfaces;

settling the mixed solution of the first fluid and the second fluid discharged from the space between the at least two processing surfaces; and

separating an intended product, in which the material to be extracted are extracted into the extraction solvent, by difference in specific gravities between solvents.

2. The fluid processing method according to claim 1, wherein the material to be extracted is a metal ion, and the method further comprises the step of carrying out the extraction in a certain pH region to lower a decrease of partition coefficient.

3. The fluid processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:

mixing and reacting the first fluid and the second fluid under the condition of a laminar flow in the thin film fluid.

4. The fluid processing method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of preparing a third fluid containing at least one kind of material to be extracted that is different from the first fluid,

wherein:

one of the first fluid and the third fluid is a fluid containing carboxylic acid, the other of the first fluid and the third fluid is a fluid containing an alcohol,

the extraction solvent is capable of extracting the material to be extracted in the post-reaction state,

the processing apparatus is provided with a third flow path, independent of the first flow path, for introducing the third fluid, the third flow path leading to at least one opening provided on at least one of the at least two processing surfaces,

the method further comprises introducing the third fluid into the space between the at least two processing surfaces through the at least one opening to which the third flow path leads into the thin film fluid of a laminar flow formed by the first fluid,

when a center side of the at least two processing surfaces is defined to be an upstream side and an outer side of the at least two processing surfaces is defined to be a downstream side, the at least one opening to which the third flow path leads is arranged at the upstream side than the at least one opening to which the second flow path leads, and

the first fluid, the second fluid and the third flow are mixed under the condition of a laminar flow and esterification reaction thereof is carried out, thereby extracting ester or water produced by the esterification reaction into the extraction solvent.

5. A fluid processing method, comprising:

preparing at least three fluids to be processed, the at least three fluids including;

a first fluid;

a second fluid, at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid containing at least one starting material for a material to be extracted; and

a third fluid, being an extracting fluid containing at least one kind of extraction solvent capable of extracting the material to be extracted;

introducing the at least three fluids into a processing device, the processing device comprising;

at least two processing surfaces facing each other, at least one of the at least two processing surfaces rotating relative to the other about a rotating shaft, the at least two processing surfaces being capable of approaching to and separating from each other in an axial direction of the rotating shaft;

maintaining a space between the at least two processing surfaces by a balance between a force that moves the at least two processing surfaces in a separating direction and a force that moves the at least two processing surfaces in an approaching direction,

wherein the processing device includes;

a first flow path for introducing any one of the at least three fluids into the space between the at least two processing surfaces; and

second and third flow paths, independent of the first flow path, for introducing remaining fluids, the second and third flow path each leading to at least one opening formed on at least one of the at least two processing surfaces, said remaining fluids being introduced into the space between the at least two processing surfaces through the at least one opening, and

wherein said any one of the at least three fluids that is introduced into the space between the at least two processing surfaces through the first flow path forms a thin film fluid; and

the remaining fluids are introduced into the thin film fluid of a laminar flow through the at least one opening;

mixing and reacting the at least three fluids under the condition of the laminar flow as a thinned film; and

extracting the material to be extracted into the extraction solvent, the extracted material being a reaction product and a by-product;

discharging a mixed solution of the first fluid, the second fluid and the third fluid from the space between the at least two processing surfaces;

settling the mixed solution of the first fluid, the second fluid and the third fluid discharged from the space between the at least two processing surfaces; and

separating an intended product, in which the material to be extracted are extracted into the extraction solvent, by difference in specific gravities between solvents.

6. The fluid processing method according to claim 5, wherein:

one of the first fluid and the second fluid is a fluid containing a first starting material, and said first starting material is a carboxylic acid,

the other of the first fluid and the second fluid is a fluid containing a second starting material, and said second starting material is an alcohol,

the at least three fluids are mixed under the condition of a laminar flow in the thin film fluid and esterification reaction of the at least three fluids are carried out, and

both ester and water produced by the esterification reaction are extracted into the extraction solvent.