New graphical method for representing characteristic features of extraction

The effect of solvent species (i.e., cyclohexanol, nitromethane, and alpha-furan aldehyde) on the extraction of acetic acid from its aqueous solution is analyzed with a new graphical method using a material-utilization diagram (or MUD) for each individual component. The abscissa and ordinate of MUD are a flow rate and a logarithm of concentration, respectively. Their scales are properly set to have a common scale of area on MUDs. This new method graphically and precisely provides important properties such as changes in concentration of each component in two phases, the distribution coefficient, selectivity, and exergy loss. MUDs for both water and acetic acid reflect the effect of the solvent species. They depict a factor of selectivity attained in the system. Changes in the concentration of a solvent give rise to a large exergy loss, indicating the importance of the solvent selection. The small exergy loss is accomplished by cyclohexanol in a countercurrent multistage scheme. This relates to a small amount of solvent supplied and to the selectivity in the system. MUD for every component exhibits characteristic features of extraction depending on the solvent species.