Overview
The Liquid-Liquid Extraction in a Packed Tower apparatus demonstrates the continuous counter-current extraction of a solute from one liquid phase into an immiscible solvent using a column packed with structured or random packing. One liquid phase is dispersed as droplets that rise or fall through the continuous phase, facilitating solute transfer at the liquid-liquid interface. Students measure inlet and outlet concentrations to determine extraction efficiency, number of transfer units (NTU), height of a transfer unit (HTU), and overall mass transfer coefficients. The apparatus is central to understanding pharmaceutical, petroleum, and food processing extraction operations.
Specifications
| Column type | glass, packed bed |
| Packing | Raschig rings / structured packing |
| Column diameter | 50 to 80 mm |
| Column height | 1 to 1.5 m |
| Feed and solvent pumps | metering type |
| Flow rate range | 1 to 10 LPH |
| Sampling ports | multiple axial positions |
| Power supply | 220V AC, 50 Hz |