US 5,628,906 A · Extraction process

Abstract

The invention relates to an extraction process which comprises adding a primary solvent to a first solution containing a solute dissolved in a native solvent. The primary solvent is added in an amount sufficient to form a single-phase mixture comprising said primary solvent, said native solvent and said solute. Thereafter a modifier is added to the single-phase solution. The modifier is miscible with either the primary solvent or the native solvent and serves to reduce the miscibility of the primary solvent with the native solvent so as to form a two-phase mixture. The two phases are allowed to separate into one phase rich in the native solvent and a second phase rich in the primary solvent and solute. Finally, the solute is separated from the solvent-rich phase. The process is particularly useful for separating products of fermentation from fermentation broths or other systems which are sensitive to high temperatures or which tend to form emulsions.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A liquid-liquid extraction process wherein a solute is transferred at a high mass transfer rate from a native solvent to a primary solvent which comprises:

adding a primary solvent to a first solution containing (a) a solute dissolved in a native solvent and (b) impurities which reduce the coalescence rate of at least one of said solvents, said primary solvent being added in amounts sufficient to form a single-phase mixture comprising said primary solvent, said native solvent end said solute;
adding a modifier to said single-phase solution in the presence of said impurities while said solution is subject to not more than gentle mixing, said modifier being miscible with either the primary solvent or the native solvent and serving to reduce the miscibility of the primary solvent with the native solvent so as to form an immiscible mixture which coalesces near instantaneously, to form two phases, one phase being rich in the native solvent end the second phase being rich in the primary solvent and solute;
and
thereafter separating said solute from the primary solvent-rich phase.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Extraction process

Life of this patent

Extraction process

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15