The invention relates to an apparatus used to contact liquids of different density, particularly to liquid extractor.

Several types of columnar liquid ex¬ tractors are known functioning with auxiliary energy and ensuring radial mixing between the liquids to be contacted. One of these extractors has a vertical cylindrical casing - column - with a central vertical rotatable shaft on which mix¬ ing elements, e.g. blades or discs are mounted line by line. The rotation disperses one of the liquids into the counterflowing other liquid (in continuous phase). In some of these column- type extractors, the mixing zones (stages) are separated by sedi entators (e.g. packing layers, perforated bodies, nets of sieve cloth, etc.). The theoretical number of stages of these mix¬ ing-column-type extractors is 2-7 per metre, and the specific load is 20-30 3/m2h. This group includes the RDC (rotary disc), OLDSHUE-RUSTHON , SCHEIBEL, KUHNI, RZE (mixing cell), BTC-RDC (in¬ ternal baffle tube) type extractors known in the professional field ( hem. Ing. T.52. Fig. No. 3.9.3.) Extractor with eccentric rotary.shaft is also made, where the rotary disc is asymmetrically arranged (e.g. LUWA-ARD extractor). Its theore¬ tical number of stages is 1-3/m, specific load- ability 20 m ³ /m ² h.

Some columnar extractors are also known, where to improve the efficiency of dispersion in¬ duced for efficient contact, pulsation is used instead of mixing. These include the liquid pulsat¬ ing and vibrating extraction columns. In the for¬ mer one the liquids counterflowing in the column are pulsated with a pulsator (e.g. piston pul- sator) connected with the column. The radial mix¬ ing of the pulsated liquids, dispersion of one liquid into the other one takes place with dispers¬ ing elements arranged in the column. Such dispers¬ ing elements may be for example a charge (Inter- pack charge, Pall ring, porcelain saddle body).

Here, the specific loadability is 15-25 3/m2 h, the theoretical number of stages 4-7/m, and the rate of pulsation 700-1300 mm/min (Chem. Ing.T.50. Fig.No. 5, 15-19). The dispersing elements may be sieve plates (perforated discs) dividing the column's interior vertically into cells. Their free cross section is 20-30 ?ό, specific loadability 30-60 m 3/m2 h, theoretical number of stages 4-7/m, while the rate of pulsation 700-1500 mm/min (Chem. Ing. T.50.

Fig. o. 5, 19.). In the vibrator-type extraction columns the liquids are contacted, dispersed by up and down vibration of the perforated disc or sieve plates - pulled over a common bar - with the aid of external pulsator. The best known vibrator type extraction column is the KARR column, where the free cross section of the discs is 50-60 % , specific loadability 80-100 m 3/m2 h and the theoretical number of stages 3-6/m (Chem. Ing.

T.50. No. 5). The specific loadability (m 3/m2 h) of the pulsated and non pulsated charged extraction

columns is approximately the same, but pulsation of the liquids prevents or at least considerably reduces the channelling frequently occurring in the non-pulsated charged column, furthermore it facilitates renewal of the surface in contact with the continuous phase. The dispersion can be intensified with pulsation, and the theoretical number of stages can be doubled. But drawback of the columns with pulsated charge is that they are sensitive to changes of the load, unable to react flexibly to fluctuations. Further problem is that solids incidentally present in the liquid upset the extraction process, the charge- and column- surface becomes dirty, therefore the described co¬ lumns with pulsated charge cannot be used for the extraction of liquid containing solids.

As a result of pulsation regularly new contacting surfaces are formed, and the dispersion can be intensified in the pulsated sieve plate (per¬ forated disc-type) extraction columns, consequently the theoretical number of stages per metre compared with the non-pulsated columns is higher, and compared even with the pulsated charged column their theoreti¬ cal number of stages is higher by about 25-30 % . In addition, the specific load (m 3/m2 h) can also be increased with pulsation. However, its drawback is that the specific loadability range of the pulsated sieve plate extraction columns is very narrow. Further drawback is that due to the considerable dispersion, in certain cases - especially if the liquid to be ex¬ tracted contains solids - a slowly settling stable emulsion may be formed leading to interruption of the extraction process. Since the sieve plate is sensitive to impurity, these columns are not suitable for the extraction of liquids containing solids.

By vibrating the perforated discs of the vibrating plate-type extraction column (KARR), the specific load (m 3/m2 h) of the column (extractor) can be significantly increased (to the highest value among the columnar extractors), and the dispersion can also be intensified, consequently the theoretical number of stages will be favourable. In case of medium or low surface stress, these columns can be used to advantage. However, the mechanism required for vib¬ ration of the sieve plates is more complicated, con¬ sequently more expensive than the one used for pulsa¬ tion of liquids, and the degree of complexity increases with the diameter of the column. Even in this case, . it is a problem that due to the considerable disper¬ sion - especially in liquids containing solids - slow¬ ly settling emulsion may develop that hinders the ex¬ traction process. These columns are sensitive to im¬ purities, and are not suitable for the extraction of liquids containing solids.

In general terms it can be laid down that construction of the extraction columns operated with pulsating auxiliary energy is simpler than that of other extractors, and their cost of investment is on¬ ly a fraction of the mixing or other type, e.g. centri¬ fugal extractors'.

Centrifugal counterflow extractors are used in the fermentation industry for total extrac¬ tion of ferment liquids containing biomass. Such out¬ dated apparatuses are the PODBIELNIAK and ROBATEL extractors. Their specific capacity is acceptable, but the theoretical number of stages is low, and be¬ cause of the high costs of investment and operation their use becomes less and less frequent.

According to another knov/n method ( estfalia), most of the solids is filtered out of the ferment liquids with vacuum screening drum and the ferment liquid containing little solids (1-3 ?ό) is extracted in two steps in counterflow, self-dis¬ charging separator. The costs of investment and ope¬ ration (handling, maintenance, energy utilization, spare parts) of this high-standard apparatus are very high.

Recently, counterflow extraction decanters are used for the total extraction of natural ferment liquids, where even ferment liquid with high (60 % ) dry substance content can be extracted without pre- filtering. Operation of these apparatuses is relatively simple, the extraction is efficient, but their cost of operation and investment are very high.

The invention is aimed at the realization of a columnar apparatus pulsating the liquids to be contacted, mainly at an apparatus suitable for extrac¬ tion, the construction of which is simple, its cost of investment is low, specific loadability (m 3/m2 h) is high, and in addition, the theoretical number of stages/m and efficacy are high.Furthermore , the apparatus must be suitable for the economical and efficient extraction of ferment liquids containing solids without emulsion-formation under efficient dispersion and radial mixing in the course of ex¬ traction.

The invention is based on the recognition, that if the pulsated liquid is exposed to dispers¬ ing effect inducing shear with the aid of built-in elements dividing the column into cells, and the liquid is intensively mixed, then efficient contact

is accomplished with favourable specific power in¬ put, the risk of clogging and emulsion-formation is eliminated, and the liquid containing solids can be extracted in the apparatus. According to a furthe.r recognition, the shearing-dispersing and mixing effect can be achieved by discs con¬ taining elastic tongues built into the column, because these pulsated elastic tongues arranged in the plane of the discs, pulsated and function¬ ing as vibrating valve, disperse by shearing and intensively - radially - mix the liquid phases in the cells, however, the breakdown to drops under the shearing effect takes place efficiently yet considerately without formation of emulsion.

On the basis of above recognitions, the objective according to the invention was attained with an apparatus having a closed column provided with pipe leading into the upper part to admit liquid of higher density, and a pipe leading into the lower part to admit liquid of lower density, pipe emerging from the lower part of the column to discharge liquid of higher den¬ sity, and a pipe emerging from the upper part to discharge liquid of lower density, level control and propelling force adjusting mechanism is connec¬ ted vtith the pipe discharging liquid of higher den¬ sity, dispersing and mixing elements surrounding cells below and above each other are in the column, and pulsator is connected with the lower part of the column, and it is characterized by discs form¬ ing the dispersing-mixing elements, said discs possess elastic tongues capable for vibration in their plane and to move out of the plane of the disc in the course of vibration, and a gap runs

- 1 -

along their periphery. The apparatus is made of anticorrosive materials. The column is generally cylindrical.

According to a preferred embodiment by way of example, the gap running along the periphery of the tongues is 0.05 - 1.0 mm wide. Naturally, there is no gap where the tongues join the base plate.

According to another invention criterion, the tongues are arranged in the disc in saw tooth configuration, in one or several lines.

According to another preferred embodi¬ ment by way of example, the disc is built up with rigid plates and elastic plates containing the elastic tongues.

A further embodiment of the apparatus is characterized by stops below and above the elastic tongues crosswise to their longitudinal direction, the stops are normally bars suitable to vary their distance from the tongues.

The invention is described in detail with the aid of the enclosed drawings represent¬ ing some preferred embodiments and structural de¬ tails of the apparatus as follows:

Fig. 1.: Schematic vertical section of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus given by way of example,

Fig. 2.: Schematic vertical section of two discs of the apparatus according to Fig. 1. and a cell surrounded by them, drawn to a larger scale ,

Fig. 3.: View from the direction of arrow A marked in Fig. 2. ,

Fig. 4. and 5.: Further possible design of the tongues positioned in the plane of discs,

Fig. 6.: Embodiment of the apparatus according to Fig. 1. drawn to a larger scale, where the discs contain elastic tongues,

Fig. 7.: Schematic vertical section of the apparatus suitable for extraction of ferment liquid.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 1. has a column 1 possessing a lower settling chamber 2 and an upper settling chamber 3. Diameter of the middle part of the cylindrical column 1 is less than the diameter of the similarly cylindrical lower and upper settling chambers 2 and 3 respectively, and the middle part 1a is several times higher than the chambers. The vertical geometric centreline of co¬ lumn 1 is marked with _x in Fig. 1.

Piston pulsator 4 is connected with the lower settling chamber 2, the casing taking in the piston 4a is leading into pipe piece 2a closed at the bottom emerging from the lower settling chamber 2.

Vertically spaced jn discs 5 are built into the middle part of column 1, dividing the middle part 1a into cells 6. The structural design of discs 5 will be described further on.

In the vicinity of the meeting point of the middle part 1a and lower settling chamber 2, a pipe 7a is leading below the lowest disc 5 into the column 1 to admit the liquid of lower density. Above the highest disc 5 but beneath the upper settling chamber 3, the pipe 7b leading into the column 1 admits the liquid of higher density. Pipe 8 leaves the lower settling chamber 2 running parallel with the vertical geometric centreline x,

and its upper part is connected with a conventional level control and propelling force regulating mechanism 9, its tank 9a is interconnected with the rigid pipe 8 by way of flexible pipe section 8a. The pipe 11 used for removal of the extract from the apparatus is connected with the tank 9a by way of a similarly flexible pipe section 11a. Position of the tank'sbottom in relation to the inlet orifice of pipe 7b, and thereby the level control and pro¬ pelling force adjustment are accomplished by lift¬ ing or lowering the tank. This is made possible by the flexible pipe sections 8a, 11a. Pipe 10 for re¬ moval of the raffinate emerges from the upper part of the upper settling chamber 3. Position of the locks is shown in Fig. 1. by short lines drawn cross¬ wise to the pipes.

Arrangement and operating mode of the two discs 5 in column 1 , and the structural design of a disc 5 are drawn to a larger scale in Fig. 2. and 3. As clearly shown in Fig. 3., the disc 5 con¬ sists of two parts formed by serrated flat plates and the tongues 13a, 13b of the saw tooth con¬ figurations fit between each other so as to have a continuous zigzag gap 14 between them, the width _t of which is suitably between 0.05 and 1.0 mm. For the sake of lucidity, the rigid plate 5b of disc 5 - the tongues 13b of which are unable to elastic displacement - is marked by hatching. On the other hand, the tongues 13a of the elastic plate 5a can be brought into vibration under the effect of exter¬ nal force. The elastic plate can be made of plastic, or metal, preferably of elastic acid-proof steel, spring bronze or similar elastic metal plate. It is noted that pairs of tongue 13a, 13b may be arranged

in several lines in each disc 5, mainly in case of large disc diameters. The rigid plate 5b can be made for example of porcelain. The plate thickness fundamentally depends on the type of plate material. During vibration of tongues 13a the free cross sec¬ tion of the discs 5 varies, and their variability would be desirable even during operation. In order to limit vibration of the tongues 13a - as shown in Fig. 2. - rigid stops 12 are fixed crosswise to the longitudinal direction of tongues 13a on both sides of the discs 5. By varying their position, the free cross section of the discs 5 can be changed, the stops 12 are suitably bars.

Fig. 4. is intended to demonstrate that if both tongue-lines 13a, 13b of disc 5 are made of elastic plate, then the tongues can be machined from a single plate with very simple technology, by cutting along the zigzag line suited to the gap 14. (Fig. 4. illustrates the disc 5 only in part).

Fig. 6. shows that the two stops 12 are provided beneath and above the disc 5 for the disc containing only elastic tongues 13a on both sides of the vertical geometric centerline x, because limiting the vibration of the oscillating elastic tongues 13a is necessary for both tongue-lines.

If it is necessary to increase the spe¬ cific free cross section of the disc 5, according to Fig. 5. - where the same reference numbers were used as in Fig. 3. - the end of the elastic ton¬ gues 13a can be cut along a curve, i.e. the tongues 13a are shorter than in the embodiments according to Fig. 3 and 5., thus circular holes 15 are in disc 5 - in addition to the zigzag gap 14 - because semi-circular cut-outs are in the rigid plate 5b

at the end of tongues 13a. The holes 15 increase the specific free cross section of the disc 5.

The apparatus according to Fig. 1-6. func¬ tions as follows:

The liquid of lo er density and the liquid of higher density are admitted to the column 1 through pipe 7a underneath and pipe 7b on the top respectively (It is noted that flow direction of the liquids and operation of the pulsator 4 are marked by arrows drawn over the pipes of Fig. 1.) In describing the operation of the apparatus according to Fig. 2., it is assumed that the liquid of lower density contains the active ingredient to be extracted, and the liquid of higher density is the one to be extracted. Under the influence of differential density and pul¬ sator 4, the liquids regulated with the level control and propelling force adjusting mechanism in column 1 counterflow in the field of gravitation, i.e. the liquid of higher density flows down and the liquid of lower density flows up, since the latter one flowing down forces the former one upwards. In the course of counterflow, the elastic tongues 13a - kept in perma¬ nent vibration by the pulsated liquids (i.e. external force) as already shown by dashed lines in Fig. 2. - break up the denser liquid to shearing-dispersing drops, whereby dispersion phase is brought about, and intensive radial mixing takes place bet een the phases in the cells 6. The drop formation is gentle, and size of the drops will become even visually steady. Size of the holes fo _r m _ec j in the course of vibration of the tongues 13a varies automatically - depending on the rate of pulsation and specific load - and movement of the tongues 13a is limited by stops 12. The high flow velocities in the gaps 14 safely prevent clogging (its danger exists in the known extractors,

when the liquid contains solid phase).

Returning to Fig. 1.: Separation of the liquid phases in the lower 2 and upper settling cham¬ ber 3 of column 1 takes place merely under the influen¬ ce of gravitation. The liquid of lower density (raffi- nate) relieved of the active ingredient leaves the upper settling chamber 3 through pipe 10, while the liquid of higher density including the active ingredient (extract) leaves the column 1 through pipe 8 emerging from the lower settling chamber 2, and moves off from tank 9a of the level control and propelling force ad¬ justing mechanism 9 through pipe 11.

Fig. 7. shows the apparatus according to the invention in connection with its use for extracting the natural ferment liquid. The parts are marked with the same reference numbers as those used in Fig. 1. In this case the pipe 7a emerges from the tank 17 of fermentor 16, and a conventional propeller mixer 18 reaches into the tank. Pipe 7b is used to admit the solvent, while the liquids facilitating the extrac¬ tion are admitted to the system through pipes 19, 20 leading into the natural ferment liquid-carrying pipe 7a.

The apparatus according to Fig. 7. functions as follows:

The natural ferment liquid containing the bio ass is the phase of lower density, while the methyleπe chloride producing the solvent, i.e. the ex¬ tracting liquid is the phase of higher density, so the latter one is admitted to the column 1 on the top, and the former one at the bottom through pipes 7b and 7a. Load of the column 1 varies between 8 and 17 m 3/m2 h, the optimal rate of pulsation is 0.6 cm/s, and ratio of the solvent to ferment liquid is between 1:1 and 1:2.

By actuation of the pulsator 4 the vibrating tongues of discs 5 produce shearing-dispersing and radial mix¬ ing effect as described in connection with Fig. 1-6. Efficiency of the extraction is over 95 % with the apparatus according to the invention, and the fer¬ ment liquid can be extracted even when otherwise danger of emulsion formation exists. The total bio- mass is discharged with the raffinate in the cour¬ se of the continuous extraction, so that the ex¬ tract no longer contains floating solids. Inter¬ ruption of the operation for technical reasons does not influence the extraction to any significant degree.

The benefits associated with the inven¬ tion are summed up as follows:

Loadability of the apparatus according to the invention is high, it is not sensitive to load variation, and highly efficient in a wide load interval owing to the reduced backmixing. The theoretical number of discs per meter (stage num¬ ber) is very favourable entailing reduction of the column's height, thus the space requirement is small, demand upon labour and the cost of assembly are much lower than those of the known apparatus of similar capacity. The necessary residence time of the two admitted phases in the apparatus volume corresponding to a theoretical stage is very short, favourably influencing the extraction efficiency. The energy required for operation of the apparatus (there is no rotating part) is low but the cost in¬ dices associated with the operation and investment are also favourable owing to the simple construction. It is a major advantage, that there is no emulsion formation in the apparatus during operation, and - owing to the high liquid velocities flowing through

the gaps of varying width surrounded by the vib¬ rating tongues - no danger of clogging and down¬ time occur even if liquid containing solid phase is extracted. Thus natural ferment liquid con¬ taining biomass can also be extracted with the apparatus according to the invention.

Naturally, the invention is not restric¬ ted to the embodiments of the apparatus given by way of example, but it can be realized in many ways within the protective scope defined by the claims points.