Solvent extraction is an important chemical separation technology which is widely used in hydrometallurgy

nuclear chemical industries

petrochemical industries and etc.Extraction columns have many advantages

but are very difficult to scale-up and design.The study on mathematic modeling and scale-up of extraction columns in abroad is reviewed

and then the research

innovation and application of extraction columns in China are detailed in this paper.The systematical studies on two-phase hydrodynamics

back mixing and mass transfer of pulsed sieve plate extraction column by Wang and his co-workers are introduced in some detail since its importance for nuclear industries.The approaches developed by Wang to scale-up extraction columns by the first principle are essential.The performance of new developed coalescence-dispersion pulsed sieve plate extraction column is excellent and has been used in industry.The studies on RDC

packed extraction column and pulsed packed extraction column are described too.The innovations on NRDC

SMR and PFMR have great importance since their excellent performance and wide application.