Chemical Solvent Coalescer: Safe and Efficient Phase Separation in Aggressive Media
Lefilter's Chemical Solvent Coalescer is a robust filtration system engineered for the demanding task of separating immiscible liquids and removing contaminants from aggressive chemical streams. Whether recovering solvent from water, removing water from solvent, or polishing process fluids, our coalescers are built with material compatibility and process safety as the highest priority, ensuring reliable performance in corrosive and hazardous environments.
Addressing the Unique Challenges of Chemical Processing
Chemical processes often involve solvents, acids, caustics, or other aggressive media where standard filtration fails. Challenges include:
Material Compatibility: Preventing degradation of filter media and housing.
Emulsion Breaking: Separating stable liquid-liquid dispersions.
Process Safety: Containing hazardous fluids securely.
Lefilter engineers coalescers specifically to handle these challenges, using advanced materials and designs.
Design & Operation: Tailored for Chemistry
Our coalescers are custom-configured based on fluid properties (density, viscosity, pH, chemical composition):
Media Selection: We utilize specialized polymer or glass fiber media treated for specific wettability (oleophilic or hydrophilic) to match your solvent/water system. Media is selected for chemical resistance (e.g., PTFE, PVDF, PP).
Coalescence & Separation: The mixed-phase stream flows through the chemically inert coalescer pack or cartridge. Dispersed droplets are captured and coalesced. The separated phase (solvent or water) rises or settles in a calm separation chamber.
Containment & Control: Vessels are constructed from stainless steel (316L), Hastelloy, FRP, or lined carbon steel. Systems include appropriate gauges, vents, and drains for safe operation.
Key Benefits for Chemical Plants
Material Assurance: Constructed from alloys and polymers compatible with your specific process chemistry, ensuring long service life.
High Separation Efficiency: Effectively breaks difficult emulsions and achieves <10 ppm residual dispersed phase in many applications.
Solvent Recovery & Waste Minimization: Enables high-purity solvent recovery from wastewater, reducing raw material costs and environmental disposal fees.
Process Intensification: Replaces large, inefficient settling tanks with a compact, high-efficiency unit, saving footprint.
Safety by Design: Engineered with seals, gaskets, and safety features appropriate for the service (e.g., conductive media for flammable solvents).
Technical Specifications (Custom Engineered)
Parameter | Lefilter Capability |
|---|
Primary Function | Liquid-Liquid Separation (Solvent/Water) & Contaminant Removal |
Efficiency | Residual dispersed phase often < 10 - 100 ppm, application dependent. |
Vessel Materials | 304/316L SS, Hastelloy, FRP, PP/PTFE Lined Steel. |
Media Options | PTFE, Polypropylene, PVDF, or Specialty Glass Fiber Media. |
Design Codes | ASME, PED, NACE MR0175 for sour service. |
Flow Rates | From pilot-scale 1 GPM to full production 500+ GPM. |
Configuration | Horizontal or vertical vessels; skid-mounted with pumps and controls. |
Applications
Pharmaceutical API & Intermediate Processing
Specialty Chemical Manufacturing
Pesticide & Herbicide Formulation
Edible Oil Processing
Waste Solvent Recovery & Recycling
FAQ
Q: Can you handle concentrated acids or strong oxidizers?
A: Yes, with the correct material selection. We have experience with systems for nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and chlorine dioxide services, utilizing high-end alloys or fluoropolymer linings.
Q: Do you offer pilot units for testing?
A: Absolutely. We often provide rental or skid-mounted pilot units to validate performance on your specific process stream before designing a full-scale system.
Q: How do you determine the right media wettability?
A: We analyze your fluid samples to determine the continuous and dispersed phases, then select oleophilic (oil-loving) media to coalesce organic droplets in water, or hydrophilic (water-loving) media to coalesce water droplets in organics
