Nondispersive solvent extraction-stripping of phenol in a hollow fiber-in-fiber membrane contactor

Abstract

Phenol extraction from aqueous solution and its simultaneous concentration into caustic stripping solution using a hollow fiber-in-fiber type membrane contactor was investigated. The phenol separation rate using sunflower oil in gasoline (1:1) as an organic liquid was studied for once-through mode operations. Individual film mass transfer coefficients on the shell side, the tube side and the annulus, as well as the membrane mass transfer coefficients were isolated using Wilson's plot technique. From application of the film theory, and the resistance-in-series approach, the contribution of the individual mass transfer resistances to the overall mass transfer resistance is considered.