Liquid--liquid extraction apparatus includes a separator tank rotatable about an axis extending through the tank, a tank inlet for a mixture of two liquids of different densities and which are substantially insoluble in each other, a tank outlet on the axis of rotation for the light liquid, and a tank outlet spaced from the axis of rotation for the heavy liquid. In terms of method, a mixture of the two liquids is rotated about an axis extending through the mixture to cause the light liquid to concentrate at the axis of rotation, and to cause the heavy liquid to concentrate at the periphery of the rotating liquid. The light liquid is removed from the body of liquid along a flow path co-linear with the axis, and the heavy liquid is removed from the periphery of the rotating body of liquid.
A centrifugal extractor has a rotor supported rotatably in a housing 10, and an aqueous phase liquid and an organic phase liquid are supplied to the outer circumference of the rotor and mixed between the housing and the rotor. A mixed phrase liquid is sucked into the rotor and is separated into two phases in a centrifugal force field generated in the inside of the rotor, and the separated aqueous phase liquid and organic phase liquid are discharged to an aqueous phase collector 50 and an organic phase collector 44, respectively. A cavity portion is provided in the center of the rotor, and a neutron absorption body 60 is disposed in the cavity portion. Preferably, the rotor has a lower rotating and supporting mechanism (such as a sliding bearing 66), and a neutron absorption material is sealed into the lower rotating and supporting mechanism. By such a centrifugal extractor, criticality safety and durability can be enhanced, even when the extractor is designed to be larger-size and larger-capacity.
A centrifugal extractor of non-contact journaled construction is provided in which, even under the environments of corrosive gase and mist-like liquid such as nitric acid mist generated in the reprocessing of a spent nuclear fuel, no problem in corrosion or deterioration of parts occurs and high reliability is obtained, and operation is enabled for a long period of time free from maintenance. A rotor 12 housed in a rotor housing 10 is journaled by a main shaft 14 and rotated and driven by a motor 16. The main shaft is surrounded by a drive-portion housing 30, and has a thrust magnetic disk 36 on the upper end and radial magnetic disks 46, 48 and a motor-rotor portion 54 in the circumference thereof. Thrust bearing electromagnets 38a, 38b, radial bearing electromagnets 50, 52 and a motor stator portion 56 are incorporated into the drive-portion housing, and covered by non-magnetic anticorrosive protective plates 40, 42, and a protective pipe 64, the motor-rotor portion being also covered by a protective can 58. Slide bearings 66, 68 for touch down made of fluorocarbon resin are disposed on the upper end of the main shaft and on the inner wall of the drive-portion housing in the vicinity of the upper end of the rotor.
An annular centrifugal extractor with an immersed agitation rotor. The liquid-liquid centrifugal extractor including an emulsion chamber and a settling chamber, aligned because of the addition of a section of axis to the rotor, which allows flow and operation to be regularized, especially by allowing the dimensions of the chambers to be selected more freely.
