Recycle effects on solvent extraction through concurrent-flow parallel-plate membrane modules

The recycle effects on membrane extraction through a parallel-plate module with concurrent-flow first and then countercurrent how has been studied. Th eoretical predictions are in agreement with the experimental results. Consi derable improvement in performance is obtainable if membrane extraction is operated with recycle which provides the effect of increasing fluid velocit y, resulting in decreased mass-transfer resistance. The influences of recyc le type on the performance of membrane extraction, as well as on the fixed and operating costs, have been also discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B. V. All rights reserved.