The role of kinetics in the extraction of zinc with D2EHPA in a packed column

The role of kinetics of extraction in the design of extraction equipment is becoming more important with the move to reduce organic inventories and phase residence times. This paper examines the influence of the kinetics of ZnSO4 extraction into di-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) in Shellsol 2046 in a 100 mm diameter, 1 m tall column packed with Super Mini Rings (SMR). Concentrations of zinc along the column in both phases could be simulated to within ± 10% using an axial dispersion model with a diffusion-kinetic model incorporated.