Membrane separation and liquid extraction processes

This teaching unit focuses on membrane separation and liquid-liquid extraction processes. The section on membrane separation processes will first cover conventional liquid phase separation processes (microfiltration, ultrafiltration, etc.) and gas treatment. More innovative processes, such as membrane contactors and reactors, will be covered in the second part. The section on liquid-liquid extraction processes will first cover general principles, followed by an explanation of the PUREX process used for spent fuel reprocessing. The final section will cover methods for modeling liquid-liquid extraction operations.

Hourly volumes:

            CM: 12 p.m.

            Tutorial: 8 hours

The objective of this teaching unit is to provide knowledge about membrane separation processes, first addressing conventional processes and then developing more innovative processes such as contactors and membrane reactors. The second part of this teaching unit focuses on liquid-liquid extraction separation processes.

Kinetics and thermodynamics of liquid-liquid extraction

Terminal control

1. Membrane separation processes:

• Introduction to membrane function
• Conventional processes:
• Liquid phase separation: microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF), and reverse osmosis (RO)
• Different filtration modes
• Electrical effects and their role in nanofiltration
• Pervaporation
• Gas treatment using membranes
• Contactors and membrane reactors:
• Membrane contactors: "a new philosophy"
• Chemical membrane reactors
• Biological membrane reactors

1. Liquid-liquid extraction processes:

• General information:
• Principle and objectives of L/L extraction
• Different types of solvents
• Essential values in L/L extraction
• Balances and representation of balances
• Successive operations with co-currents, cross-currents, counter-currents
• Different types of devices
• Example of the PUREX process:
• Industrial constraints
• Choice of solvent and equipment
• Main steps in the purification of U and Pu by L/L extraction
• Modeling of L/L extraction operations: 
• McCabe and Thiele resolution methods. Performance limits
• The PAREX code. Phenomenological analysis. Modeling of elementary phenomena. Numerical resolution. Code qualification. Applications.

Administrative contact(s): Master's in Chemistry Secretariat

Master's degree in Chemistry @ umontpellier.fr