Solvent extraction method and apparatus

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF CONTACTING AT LEAST PARTIALLY IMMISCIBLE FIRST AND SECOND LIQUIDS OF DIFFERENT DENSITIES IN A CONFINED CONTACTING STAGE HAVING HORIZONTALLY CONTIGUOUS, INTERCOMMUNICATING MIXING AND SETTLING ZONES WHICH COMPRISES: MAINTAINING LAYERS OF SAID LIQUIDS SEPARATED BY A LIQUID-LIQUID INTERFACE WITHIN SAID SETTLING ZONE; ADMITTING SAID FIRST LIQUID TO SAID CONFINED STAGE AND FLOWING IT THROUGH THE MIXING ZONE TOWARD THE SETTLING ZONE OF SAID STAGE WITH A HORIZONTAL VELOCITY COMPONENT; SUPPLYING THE SAID SECOND LIQUID TO A CONFINED FEED ZONE HAVING A LEVEL DISPLACED FROM SAID MIXING ZONE AND FROM SAID INTERFACE IN THE SETTLING DIRECTION OF SAID FIRST LIQUID, SAID FEED ZONE BEING IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH THE LAYER OF SAID FIRST LIQUID WITHIN SAID SETTLING ZONE; FLOWING THE SAID SECOND LIQUID FROM SAID FEED ZONE WITH A FLOW COMPONENT IN ITS SETTLING DIRECTION THROUGH A CHANNEL WHICH IS ELONGATED IN THE SAID SETTLING DIRECTION AND HAS A WIDTH LESS THAN THE LENGTH THEREOF OUT OF CONTACT WITH OTHER LIQUID IN SAID STAGE AND THEREBY DISSIPATING ENERGY, THE LEVEL OF SAID DIRECT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE FEED ZONE AND THE LAYER OF FIRST LIQUID BEING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS THE LEVEL OF THE INLET END OF SAID CHANNEL; AND DISCHARGING THE SECOND LIQUID FROM SAID CHANNEL AT SAID MIXING ZONE AS AT LEAST ONE NARROW STREAM INTO SAID CURRENT OF FIRST LIQUID TO FORM A DISPERSION THEREIN.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF CONTACTING AT LEAST PARTIALLY IMMISCIBLE FIRST AND SECOND LIQUIDS OF DIFFERENT DENSITIES IN A CONFINED CONTACTING STAGE HAVING HORIZONTALLY CONTIGUOUS, INTERCOMMUNICATING MIXING AND SETTLING ZONES WHICH COMPRISES: MAINTAINING LAYERS OF SAID LIQUIDS SEPARATED BY A LIQUID-LIQUID INTERFACE WITHIN SAID SETTLING ZONE; ADMITTING SAID FIRST LIQUID TO SAID CONFINED STAGE AND FLOWING IT THROUGH THE MIXING ZONE TOWARD THE SETTLING ZONE OF SAID STAGE WITH A HORIZONTAL VELOCITY COMPONENT; SUPPLYING THE SAID SECOND LIQUID TO A CONFINED FEED ZONE HAVING A LEVEL DISPLACED FROM SAID MIXING ZONE AND FROM SAID INTERFACE IN THE SETTLING DIRECTION OF SAID FIRST LIQUID, SAID FEED ZONE BEING IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH THE LAYER OF SAID FIRST LIQUID WITHIN SAID SETTLING ZONE; FLOWING THE SAID SECOND LIQUID FROM SAID FEED ZONE WITH A FLOW COMPONENT IN ITS SETTLING DIRECTION THROUGH A CHANNEL WHICH IS ELONGATED IN THE SAID SETTLING DIRECTION AND HAS A WIDTH LESS THAN THE LENGTH THEREOF OUT OF CONTACT WITH OTHER LIQUID IN SAID STAGE AND THEREBY DISSIPATING ENERGY, THE LEVEL OF SAID DIRECT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE FEED ZONE AND THE LAYER OF FIRST LIQUID BEING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS THE LEVEL OF THE INLET END OF SAID CHANNEL; AND DISCHARGING THE SECOND LIQUID FROM SAID CHANNEL AT SAID MIXING ZONE AS AT LEAST ONE NARROW STREAM INTO SAID CURRENT OF FIRST LIQUID TO FORM A DISPERSION THEREIN.