Internal circulation type centrifugal extractor

Abstract

A centrifugal extractor for making liquid-liquid extraction by bringing an organic phase and an aqueous phase into mutual contact and utilizing centrifugal force. A rotor rotating at a high speed is disposed inside a cylindrical casing having inlets for both phases. Draw ports for both phases are disposed at an upper portion of the rotor. An organic phase/aqueous phase mixture mixed at the bottom of the casing enters the rotor from the bottom of the rotor, and is subjected to phase separation by centrifugal force. The separated phases are withdrawn from respective draw ports. Part of the organic phase discharged from the organic phase draw port is refluxed to the bottom of the casing by a reflux cover fitted to the upper part of the rotor. The flow rate of the organic phase thus refluxed is added to the flow rate of the organic phase introduced from outside into the casing. Therefore, the flow rate ratio can be brought close to 1 inside the extractor, even if the flow rate of the aqueous phase is greater than that of the organic phase.