Separation Science and Technology, Vol.43, No.11-12, 3305-3332, 2008
Pseudo-emulsion based hollow fiber strip dispersion technique (PEHFSD): Optimization, modelling and application of PEHFSD for recovery of U(VI) from process effluent
Pseudo emulsion based hollow fiber strip dispersion technique (PEHFSD) is the first of its kind ever explored in radioactive environment for the extraction of uranium from acidic process streams. Permeation of U(VI) was investigated as a function of various experimental variables such as hydrodynamic conditions (flow rates of pseudo-emulsion and feed phase), concentration of U(VI) in the feed phase, concentration of tri-n-butylphosphate (TBP), HNO3 concentration in feed phase, O/A ratio and 0.01 M HNO3 as stripping agent in pseudo-emulsion phase. The mass transfer coefficient was calculated from the experimental results and a model has been presented for determining mass transfer characteristics. PEHFSD has been demonstrated for separation/recovery of uranium from oxalate supernatant waste generated during plutonium precipitation by oxalic acid. PEHFSD and HFSLM (hollow fiber supported liquid membrane) performance has been compared in order to analyze the efficiency of the technique.
Keywords:hollow fiber strip dispersion (PEHFSD);pseudo-emulsion;supported liquid membrane (SLM);uranium