Koch Modular Process Systems specializes in designing liquid-liquid extraction equipment for industries such as chemical, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, biotech, and flavors & fragrances. They offer various types of extraction columns including SCHEIBEL, KARR, rotating disc contactors, pulsed columns, and packed columns. Pilot testing of actual feed streams is important for accurate scale-up and process design since extraction involves complex phenomena at the liquid-liquid interface that is difficult to model. They provide extraction solutions tailored to customers' separation challenges.

1. LIQUID-LIQUID
EXTRACTION

2. EXTRACTION
TECHNOLOGY
Koch Modular Process Systems Extraction Technology Group
specializes in the design and supply of liquid-liquid extraction
equipment engineered to fulfill the chemical, pharmaceutical,
petrochemical, biotech and flavor & fragrance industries’ increasingly
challenging purification requirements. Our extractor design expertise
includes SCHEIBEL® columns, KARR® columns, rotating disc contactor
(RDC) columns, pulsed columns, and packed columns using random
packing or structured packing (SMVP).
At Koch Modular, we don’t just sell extraction equipment; we supply
solutions to difficult separation challenges. Distillation is often
considered first in the hierarchy of separations methods, and is
taught extensively in chemical engineering curriculums. Liquid-liquid
extraction has, however, become the standard for certain unique
situations, such as the recovery of high boiling organics or non-volatile
inorganics from dilute aqueous streams.

3. Reasons to Use Extraction
If a separation can be made economically by distillation, there is no
reason to consider extraction. However, there are other situations
where liquid-liquid extraction should be considered:
•Energy requirements of distillation
are prohibitive
•A complex distillation sequence
is required
•The material is prone to thermal
degradation or non-volatile
•Recovery of water soluble
components from immiscible
organic streams
•Processing of azeotropic and close
boiling components
BIOTECHNOLOGY
• Recovery of carboxylic acids from
biomass such as fermentation broths
• Recovery of oil from algae broths
CHEMICAL
• Recovery of acetic acid from
dilute solutions
• Washing of acids/bases, polar
compounds from organics
• Recovery of acrylic acid
EFFLUENT TREATMENT
• Removal and recovery of phenol,
DMF, DMAC
• Removal of nitrated organics
FOOD INDUSTRY
• Decaffeination of coffee and tea
• Separation of essential oils (flavors
and fragrances)
INORGANIC CHEMICALS
• Purification of phosphoric acid
• Recovery/purification of lithium
compounds
METALS MINING INDUSTRY
• Recovery of cobalt, copper, manganese
and nickel
• Recovery of rare earth elements
• Recovery/purification of alkali metal
compounds
NUCLEAR INDUSTRY
• Purification of uranium
PHARMACEUTICALS
• Recovery of active materials
from fermentation broths
• Purification of vitamin products
PETROCHEMICAL
• Separation of olefins/parafins
• Separation of structural isomers
PETROLEUM
• Lube oil quality improvement
• Separation of aromatics/aliphatics
(BTX)
POLYMER PROCESSING
• Recovery of caprolactam for nylon
manufacturing
• Separation of catalyst from reaction
products
Liquid-Liquid Extraction
Applications by Industry

4. 1.Selectingthesolventandgenerating
liquid-liquidequilibriumdata
2.Usingthisinformationandtheproject
requirementstoselectthecolumntype
totest
3.Performingapilotplanttesttogenerate
thedataforaccuratescale-uptothe
production column
4.Designingandfabricatingthecolumn
Process Development:
FromBenchmarktoPilotScaletoCommercialization
Nearlyallliquid-liquidextractionprojectsrequirepilottestingtoprovide
the basisforcommercialprocessdesignandaprocessperformance
guarantee.Unlikedistillationprocesses,whichcanoftenbedesignedusing
processsimulationandhydraulicratingsoftwarealone,extractioninvolves
complexchemicalphenomenaattheliquid-liquidinterfacewhichisvery
difficulttomodeltoallowforcommercialscaleprocessdesign.Dispersed
phase entrainment,emulsificationtendencyandtheimpactofimpurities
at the liquid-liquidinterfacearesomeofthecommonphenomenathat
occurinanextractioncolumnwhichmakespilottestingessential.When
conductinganextractionpilottest,itishighlypreferabletouseactualplant
feed andsolventmaterials.
Before pilottestingbeginsbenchscaletestsareperformedtogenerate
liquid-liquidequilibriumdata.Inadditiontosupplyingtheequilibriumdata,
these testscanrevealphasebehaviornearthe liquid-liquidinterfacesuch
asemulsificationorentrainmentthathelpguideextractor selection.
Why Pilot Testing
The best and most reliable method for the design of an LLE column is by
pilot plant testing with actual feed and then using established scale-up
correlations for the specific type of extraction technology.
In general, the development procedure consists of the following steps;
Koch Modular designs pilot tests using a step-by-step optimization
method. This allows the pilot test to save time and material. This method
requires some experience but when applied correctly, will minimize the
amount of feed and solvent used, and ensure that the commercial scale
extraction column is designed correctly and performs as required.
SUCCESS
STORIES

5. This SCHEIBEL® Column
replaced an inefficient mixer-
settler for the recovery of a
metal ion from acid digested
recycle material using a
solvent consisting of a diluent
and extractant.
The SCHEIBEL® Column was
ideal for a process to extract
nitrated organic compounds
from a spent acid stream due
to the high density difference
and high interfacial tension
between the phases.
This KARR® Column, with
uniform shear mixing, proved
to be the best column type
for extracting acetic acid out
of a fermentation broth due to
its ability to handle a system
that easily emulsified.

6. LIQUID-LIQUID
EXTRACTION
COLUMNS
Koch Modular has a wide range of extractors to choose from,
both static and agitated columns.
AGITATED COLUMNS
• KARR®
• SCHEIBEL®
• Rotating Disc Contactor
(RDC)
• Pulsed
STATIC COLUMNS
• Random Packing
• Structured (SMVP)
Packing
Koch Modular provides replacements parts, repair services and
troubleshooting assistance for all types of extraction columns.
A qualified technician or engineer can be provided on-site for
both mechanical and process related support.

7. KARR® COLUMN
• Highestcapacityofallagitatedextraction
columns:750-1,500gal/ft2
·hr |
30-60 M3
/M2
·hr
• Good efficiency
• Good turndown capability (25%)
• Bestsuitedforsystemsthathaveslowphase
separationoremulsify
• Optimal design for systems with suspended
solids
KOCHMODULAREXTRACTION
COLUMNTECHNOLOGY
• Suitable for fouling materials
• Sensitive to emulsions due to high
shear mixing
• Reasonable turndown (40%)
• Reasonable capacity: 500-750 gal/ft2
·hr |
20-30 M3
/M2
·hr
• Limited efficiency due to axial backmixing
• Suitable for viscous materials
ROTATING DISC CONTACTOR (RDC)
SCHEIBEL® COLUMN
• Reasonablecapacity:350-600gal/ft2
·hr |
15-25 M3
/M2
·hr
• High efficiency due to turbine impellers
and internal baffling
• Good turndown capability (25%)
• Best suited when many stages are required
• Not recommended for highly fouling
systems or systems that tend to emulsify
PACKED COLUMNS
• Random or structured packing is used
•Randompackingcapacity:500-750gal/ft2
·hr|
20-30 M3
/M2
·hr
•Structuredpackingcapacity:1,000-2,000
gal/ft2
·hr|40-80M3
/M2
·hr
• Bestsuitedforsystemswithlowtomoderate
interfacialtensionandlowdensitydifference
betweenthephases
• Limited turndown flexibility
• Workswellforextractionprocessesthathave
ahighdifferencebetweensolventandfeed
flowrates
• MOC selection is critical to ensure
continuous phase preferentially wets the
internals. Changing wetting characteristics
can adversely affect mass transfer.
• Poor efficiency due to backmixing
• Not good for fouling service

8. Koch Modular is a joint venture, partnering with Koch-Glitsch LP, one of the world’s most prominent suppliers of mass transfer equipment.
Headquartered in Paramus, NJ, the company has hundreds of installed projects throughout the U.S.A., Canada and Europe.
+1 201.267.8670 USA
+31 6 5026 4142 EUROPE
kochmodular.com
Koch Modular Process Systems
Koch Modular Process Systems
@KochModular