Influence of SiO2 Nanoparticles and Surfactants on Extraction Efficiency: Sensitivity Analysis

The improvement of mass transfer in liquid-liquid extraction systems of pulsed packed columns has recently attracted much attention. The influence of nanoparticle and surfactant concentration on hydrodynamic characteristics and the mass transfer coefficient in the liquid phase were evaluated. The addition of nanoparticles increases the diffusion and mass transfer, but they are not stable in this system. One possibility to improve the sustainability of nanoparticles is the simultaneous application of a surfactant and nanoparticles. A slightly higher concentration of surfactant resulted in a significant improvement in extraction efficiency. The Newman, Krong, and Hendlos theories and chemical affinity model were applied to study the mass transfer in the chemical system with and without nanoparticles.