Question

Explain the principles of mass transfer applied in chemical Engineering operations for the Extraction [[[the explanation according in the case of diffusion of materials]]]

(400 words)   

Answer 1

Mass transfer Principle-

It is transfer of mass/chemical species from region of higher chemical potential to lower chemical potential .mass is only transfer whenever there is difference of Conc of species involved in the system. there are various mass transfer operations in Chemical industries like distillation, extraction, evaporation, absorption, drying etc .but all operations have simple principle that is whenever there is Conc gradient of species in the mixure, the species or componant will move from higher Conc region to lower conc region i.e we called as Diffusion.

Extraction as Mass transfer operation------>

Extraction is liquid-liquid mass transfer operation . In which One or more componant of mixure get separated depending upon their relative solubility of the respective componants in toward the the solvents in the Solution.

When a liquid mixure Contains solute(A) that we have to separate from its feed solvent(B) we just mixed these Mixure with Another solvent (C) which has higher Solubility for Solute (A) and thus upon mixing the Feed Solution and Solvent, The Componant A get transferred from B phase to Solvent phase C by Diffusion only because of Solute A is more Soluble In C than B.

And also Feed solvent( B)have higher Solute conc than Solvent ( C.) And Conc gradient will move the Solute A to C phase and separation takes pkace.

The Solvent rich(C rich) phase is called as Extract phase and While Solvent lean (B rich)phase is called reffinate.