Evaluatie van geïntensifieerde reactortechnologieën voor de hydrometallurgische scheiding van kobalt en nikkel

This dissertation investigates the hydrometallurgical separation of cobalt and nickel as a model system for assessing the performance of intensified reactor technologies used in solvent extraction processes. Initially, several aqueous and non-aqueous solvent extraction systems were evaluated to identify a robust model system. Extractants studied included Cyphos IL 101, Cyphos IL 104 and partially saponified Cyanex 272. Despite the reported benefits of the ionic liquids in the available literature, conventional Cyanex 272 was selected due to better practicality in terms of cost and viscosity. Subsequently, a comparative study of various lab-scale contactor designs was performed. The technologies include mixer-settlers, annular centrifugal contactors, pulsed columns, oscillatory baffled reactors, ultrasound-assisted milliflow reactors and (un)structured milliflow reactors. Performance metrics such as extraction efficiency, power consumption and hydrodynamics were analysed across a range of operating conditions. Most technologies achieved high extraction efficiencies within residence times of a few minutes. At last, a multi-criteria evaluation was conducted using space-time yield, productivity, power density and mass transfer coefficient. Practical considerations such as scalability, integration of mixing and separation, maintenance, and cost were also factored in. A comparison with literature was provided. Overall, this dissertation provides a methodological framework for evaluating intensified reactor technologies for solvent extraction in critical metal recovery.