The effects of flow ratio on the continuous phase separation of a liquid-liquid system

composed of 2-ethylhexyl-phosphoric acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester-kerosene/rare earth chlorides solution

have been studied in a mixer-settler

having a total volume of 0.01m3 and equipped with double mixers in each stage. Separation is conducted under three different settling environments in the settler i. e. gravity field

enhanced settling baffles and low-voltage electricfield

and with two kinds of dispersion and five flow ratioes of the organic phase to aqueous phase (Qo/Qa) from 3:1 to 1:3. The volume of dispersion band in the settler and the values of entrainment of the two phases are being measured. The results show that: (1) Under the action of gravity field or the enhanced settling baffles

the effects of flow ratio on the phase separation of the two kinds of dispersion may be characterized by the volume of dispersion band in the settler and the values of entrainment of the two phases; (2) Under the action of gravity field

a more ideal but different flow ratio occurs in the phase separation of both kinds of dispersion

i. e. water-in-oil and oil-in-water

corresponding to a lower volume of dispersion band and a lower values of entrainment of the two phases respectively; (3)Under the action of enhanced settling baffles

there exists a more ideal but different flow ratio in the phase separation of the two kinds of dispersion mentioned above

correspoding to the best effects of decreasing the volume of dispersion band and the values of entrainment of the two phases respectively; and(4)Under the action of lowvoltage electric field

the volume of dispersion bands decreases tremenduously at all flow ratioes tested for the phase separation of water-in-oil dispersion

moreover

the more ideal flow ratio corresponding to the best effects of decreasing the volume of dispersion band and the values of aqueous phase entrained tended to be identical. The authors suggest that the effects of phase separation should be fully attened to when a suitable flow ratio is selected and the volume of dispersion band and values of entrainment of the two phases should be thoroughly examined and balanced when the effects of phase separation are considered.