Project Title: Design and Optimization of a Liquid-Liquid Extraction Process
I. Objective:
The objective of this group project is to design and optimize a liquid-liquid extraction process for
the separation of a target component from a binary or ternary mixture using a suitable solvent.
Students will apply mass transfer principles learned in the course to design the extraction system,
select appropriate equipment, optimize operating conditions, and evaluate the performance of the
process.
II. Project Description:
In this project, students will work in groups of Three members to design a liquid-liquid
extraction process for the separation of a target component from a binary or ternary mixture. The
project will consist of several stages:
Group D: Extraction of Acetic Acid from aqueous solution
· Problem Definition:
1. Define the target component to be extracted.
2. Specify the composition of the feed mixture.
3. Determine the desired purity of the extracted component in the product stream.
· Process Design:
1. Select the type of liquid-liquid extraction equipment (e.g., mixer-settler, centrifugal
extractor).
2. Determine the number of stages required for efficient extraction.
3. Choose an appropriate solvent for extraction based on solubility and selectivity.
· Mass Transfer Analysis:
1. Calculate distribution coefficients for the target component.
2. Determine mass transfer rates in the extraction stages.
3. Analyze phase equilibrium data to optimize solvent-to-feed ratio.
· Optimization:
1. Optimize operating conditions such as temperature, pressure, and flow rates to maximize
extraction efficiency.
· Performance Evaluation:
1. Evaluate the efficiency of the designed extraction process in terms of extraction yield,
solvent usage, and energy consumption.
2. Compare the performance of different extraction configurations (minimum of two) and
operating conditions.
IV. Deliverables:
· Written Report:
The final report should include the following items:
1. Introduction and problem statement.
2. Description of the absorption column design and equipment selection.
3. Mass transfer analysis including calculations and assumptions.
4. Optimization results.
5. Performance evaluation
6. Conclusions
7. Reference
Note: It is recommended to use one of the following chemical engineering software to complete the design and
simulation tasks
• Aspen Plus
• DWSIM
