The extraction of copper from aqueous sulfate solution with new extractant Cupromex-3302 (active substance is the 5-nonylsalicylaldoxime) using a rotating disc contactor (RDC) was investigated. It was observed from batch experiments that the best results were obtained with the initial aqueous pH and concentration of Cupromex-3302 of 1.9 and 10% (v/v) respectively. In continuous experiments, the first critical rotor speed based on drop breakage probabilities was determined. Then the effects of rotor speed, dispersed and continuous phase flow rates on hydrodynamic parameters such as static hold-up, mean drop sizes and extraction efficiency were studied. The experimental results were compared with the ones obtained by the empirical correlations for prediction of the dispersed phase static hold-up and mean drop sizes in terms of the operating variables and the physical properties. The results of experiments proved the feasibility of operating the solvent extraction of copper from the aqueous solution using rotating disc contactor.

Dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether (DME), using clinoptilolite-zeolite as the reaction catalyst, within the temperature range of 300-350 °C has been studied in a continuous fluidized bed reactor. The reactor was a cylindrical tube, 26 mm internal diameter and 0.5 m high, placed vertically in a furnace. The effects of some pertinent operating parameters, such as temperature, superficial gas velocity, catalyst's particle size, and methanol partial pressure, on the extent of dehydration reaction have been investigated. Two hydro-dynamic models presented for bubbling fluidized bed reactors, i.e., Kunii - Levenspiel (K-L) as an example of three phase models and El-Halwagi - El-Rifai (H-R) as an example of compartment models were applied to correlate the experimental data. It was determined that the mean absolute deviation between the experimental data and those predicted from K-L model was lower than that observed in the case of H-R model (19% and 70%, respectively). Among the operating parameters, partial pressure of methanol was found to have the highest impact on the process yield.

Se describe un studio de la deshidratación de metanol que conduce a la formación del éter dimetílico (EDM) mediante catálisis con clinoptilolita-zeolita, dentro del intervalo de temperatura de 300350 °C, en un reactor de cama fluidizada. Este último consistió en un tubo cilíndrico, de 26 cm de diámetro interno y 50 cm de alto, que fue colocado verticalmente en un horno. También se investigaron los efectos de algunos parámetros, tales como la temperatura, la velocidad del gas superficial, el tamaño de partícula del catalizador y la presión parcial del metanol, sobre el avance de la reacción de deshidratación. Se aplicaron dos modelos hidrodinámicos sobre el burbujeo en el reactor de cama fluidizada, con el fin de correlacionar los datos experimentales: (a) el modelo de Kunii - Levenspiel (K-L), como ejemplo de modelos de tres fases; y (b) el modelo de El-Halwagi - El-Rifai (H-R), como un ejemplo de modelo de compartimento. Se determinó que la desviación absoluta media entre los datos experimentales y aquellos predichos por el modelo K-L fue más baja que aquella observada mediante el modelo H-R (19% y 70%, respectivamente). Se encontró que, entre los parámetros de operación, la presión parcial del metanol tuvo el mayor impacto sobre la eficiencia del proceso.