Contactor and separation apparatus and process of using same

A process for separating at least two immiscible liquids into separate phases, comprising, in combination:

• a) feeding an admixture of at least two immiscible liquids comprising a higher density liquid and a lower density liquid to a bundle of hanging fibers contained within a shroud, the shroud having an open bottom and an outer solid wall containing no openings, where the hanging fibers hang out below the open bottom and define a vertical axis and where the admixture of liquids contacts the fibers and flows downward parallel to the vertical axis;
• b) containing the admixture of liquids within the outer solid wall of the shroud such that the admixture of liquids continues flowing downward parallel to the vertical axis of the hanging fibers;
• c) allowing the admixture of liquids to enter a perforated extension positioned at the bottom of the shroud that defines an enhanced coalescing zone, the perforated extension extending downward from the bottom of the shroud to enclose the vertical hanging fibers that extend out beyond the bottom of the shroud such that the vertical hanging fibers extend out beyond an open end of the perforated extension, where the perforated extension comprises an annulus having a coalescing surface and an open center configured to allow the vertical hanging fibers to extend through the open center, where the annulus has inner and outer walls each having one or more openings and the coalescing surface is positioned between the inner and outer walls adjacent to the one or more openings of the inner and outer walls, where a portion of the admixture of liquids exit the enhanced coalescing zone through one or more openings in the inner wall following a flow path that is not parallel to the vertical axis;
• d) coalescing a portion of one of the immiscible liquids as it passes through the coalescing surface to form a coalesced liquid;
• and
• e) separating the higher density liquid from the lower density liquid within a gravity settling zone by allowing the formation of a lower layer comprising the higher density liquid and the formation of an upper layer comprising the lower density liquid, where a liquid interface is defined as a location where the two layers join and is located at a point below the enhanced coalescing zone, wherein the coalesced liquid flows downward to become part of the lower layer.