Single-stage microscale solvent extraction in parallel microbore tubes using a monoblock distributor with integrated microfluidic junctions

This study is focused on the scale-up of solvent extraction in microbore tubes. A monoblock distributor with integrated microfluidic junctions (MDIMJ) is used for generating liquid–liquid dispersion and feeding the parallel microbore tubes. Experiments involve solvent extraction of U(VI) from simulated lean streams using 30% (v/v) tributyl phosphate (TBP) in dodecane. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) microbore tubes are used as a microscale contactor. The effects of inlet flow rate and O/A ratio on stage efficiency and percentage extraction (PE) are studied. Maximum capacity tested is 1.33 × 10^–6 m³/s (4.8 LPH). With O/A = 2/1, more than 90% extraction is achieved in a contact time of less than 3 s.