Course syllabus

Course-PM

KBT196 Solvent extraction lp3 VT20 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Contact details

Examiner and lecturer: Assoc. Prof. Teodora Retegan Vollmer (tretegan@chalmers.se)

Co-lecturers: Dr. Martina Petranikova (martina.petranikova@chalmers.se); Prof. Christian Ekberg (che@chalmers.se)

Course summary

Solvent extraction, solid phase extraction and distillation are some of the oldest techniques for purification and recovery of precious substances, e.g. making perfumes from plants and herbs. In 2003, while digging at the Pyrgos-Mavroraki site in Cyprus, a complex was discovered that dated from 4000 years ago and that was believed to have been used as a perfume production laboratory. In a more modern scenario the above mentioned procedures are part of the present day chemical separation technologies.

More advanced techniques, such as ion exchange chromatography, supercritical separation techniques, pyrochemical separation, electrorefining and magnetic separation, to name the latest procedures, are in some cases only improvements of earlier partitioning processes.

However, solvent extraction is still the preferred method for large scale processes requiring a relatively high throughput of material and extreme high purities.

The application areas are, for example: food industry, pharmacology, cosmetics, water treatment, mining industry, production of different organic or inorganic substances, recycling industry, nuclear industry.

Previous knowledge

Any previous chemistry knowledge.

Content

The course comprises e.g. thermodynamics, solution chemistry, extraction systems, industrial processes, equipment, process calculations and small scale processes for analytical purposes. Membrane separation is also included.

Aim

- give a broad information about two phase liquid-liquid equilibria

- give information about the solution chemistry of metal ions

- give information about the use of solvent extraction processes in industry and research

- give information about equipment for solvent extraction

- help students think critically

- teach practical solvent extraction work

 

Learning outcomes

- knowledge about the solvent extraction thermodynamics

- knowledge about the solution chemistry of metals

- knowledge about extraction systems for metals and acids

- knowledge about equipment for solvent extraction

- knowledge about calculations on counter-current solvent extraction processes

- knowledge about solvent extraction processes in different fields of application.

 

Organisation

Lectures, exercises and laboratory exercices (hands-on).

The project supervisor will correct and answer within a week after receiving the reports.

Accepted file formats for the laboratory report are doc, docx, xls, xlsx and pdf. Check with your supervisor should you wish to use other formats.

 

Literature (suggestion)

Rydberg, Cox, Musikas, Choppin (editors): Solvent Extraction Principles and Practice, Marcel Dekker (2004), ISBN 0-8247-5063-2

 

Examination

Written exam in two parts (questions and calculations). The laboratory projects has to pass to obtain a final grading.