Mass transfer studies for a pulsed disc and doughnut extraction column

Hydrodynamic and mass transfer performance are presented for a 72.5 mm diameter pulsed disc and doughnut column of the type used by Western Mining Corporation, Olympic Dam Operation, for the extraction of uranium from sulphate media using Alamine 336 as extractant. For the present purpose, 4.0 g/L sulphuric acid was used as solute. The mass transfer data were interpreted in terms of the diffusion model, thus accounting for continuous phase axial dispersion. The results indicated that an efficiency corresponding to approximately one transfer unit over the 1.0 m height of the column was obtained. This efficiency is comparable to that observed by Gottliebsen (1997) for a pulsed perforated plate column using 173 gm/L sulphuric acid.