| 摘要 |
A method and apparatus (10) are described for the extraction of a solute from an aqueous feed solution into an aqueous stripping solution, the method comprising the steps of providing at least one stream of each of said feed solution (42) and said stripping solution (46) passing through a continuous phase of a non-polar carrier liquid (28); said carrier liquid (28) having therein a chemical having an affinity for ions of at least one species in said solute in said feed solution; each of said at least one stream of feed (42) and stripping (46) solutions being under the influence of a first and a second high voltage AC electrostatic field. The first and second high voltage AC electrostatic fields are chosen to be at a frequency above conventional mains frequency of 60 Hz such that a specific desired size range of droplets are stabilised by being at their natural frequency and in resonance with the applied field. A desired size range may lie between about 250 and 400 mum and are sufficiently small at the minimum end to prevent passage across baffle means (26) and not too large such that the efficiency of mass transfer between the aqueous (42, 46) and non-aqueous phases (28) is significantly impaired. |
