Process design and optimization of cascade solvent extraction system for the extraction of rare earth elements /
Farouq Bin Ahmat,
Process design and optimization of cascade solvent extraction system for the extraction of rare earth elements / Farouq Bin Ahmat - xxi, 254 pages : illustrations ; 30 cm. + 1 CD-ROM
Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology
Thesis (Doctor of Philosophy) -- Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah - 2025
Include bibliographical reference
Solvent extraction system (SX) is widely considered a practical method and promising approach to extract rare earth elements (REEs) minerals at economy of scale. However, the thorough economic potential (EP) analysis aspect of the REE SX process is often lacking, especially when using the conventional Xu procedure, which primarily focuses on technical aspects. This scenario makes decision-making a complex process, with many new commercial efforts at the mid-stream phase. Xu's procedure focuses mainly on the technical aspect of REE extraction without considering the economic viability of the extraction process itself as a critical factor. In principle, a single extractant alone is insufficient for acquiring an economical extraction of numerous individual separations of REEs. Thus, this current study intended to establish a comprehensive framework for designing a complex cascade SX operation that allows multi-extractant application, which is demonstrated to be the prominent method for achieving an economy of scale in REE extraction processing. The framework aims to simplify the complexities associated with designing a massive multi-extractant operation by offering a structured workflow to be followed during the design process. In this light, a novel integrated framework combining the Douglas’s approach and Xu counter-current principle was constructed. The Douglas-Xu model outlined five main steps inclusive of input information, batch versus continuous versus hybrid, input-output structure, recycling, as well as separation and filtration. Through this new approach, a multi-extraction system combining 2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (P507), Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (P204), and Bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)phosphinic acid (C272) was determined the most optimal solution given the EP value has reached a staggering net amount of $19.3 million with feedstock capacity of 1180.24 tons and production throughput of 332.9 tons. This performance was far more superb against any single extraction basis. The EP for a single extraction system for P204 and P507 were $2.4 million and $13.3 million, respectively, with respective feedstock and production throughput amounts of 1180.24 tons and 122.1 tons for P204 and 1180.24 tons and 109.2 tons for P507. In addition, it was determined that P507 alone was not suitable for extracting Ho, Er, and Y due to low throughput; instead C272 was identified as the most suitable candidate for extracting these elements. This study also found that the correlation between recovery rate and the processing ratio of A to B, reflux ratio, and product throughput was significant in influencing the plant performance as a whole. It also revealed that the multi-extractants of P507-P204-C272 configuration were the most optimal choice for the integrated extraction processing of light, mid and particularly heavy REEs from Malaysian saprolite resources.Overall, the Douglas–Xu model simplifies the design of large-scale multi-extractant SX operations and demonstrates that integrating multiple extractants can achieve both technical efficiency and strong economic viability in REE processing.
THE0010433 (Local)
Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology--Dissertations
Universities and colleges--Dissertations
Process design and optimization of cascade solvent extraction system for the extraction of rare earth elements / Farouq Bin Ahmat - xxi, 254 pages : illustrations ; 30 cm. + 1 CD-ROM
Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology
Thesis (Doctor of Philosophy) -- Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah - 2025
Include bibliographical reference
Solvent extraction system (SX) is widely considered a practical method and promising approach to extract rare earth elements (REEs) minerals at economy of scale. However, the thorough economic potential (EP) analysis aspect of the REE SX process is often lacking, especially when using the conventional Xu procedure, which primarily focuses on technical aspects. This scenario makes decision-making a complex process, with many new commercial efforts at the mid-stream phase. Xu's procedure focuses mainly on the technical aspect of REE extraction without considering the economic viability of the extraction process itself as a critical factor. In principle, a single extractant alone is insufficient for acquiring an economical extraction of numerous individual separations of REEs. Thus, this current study intended to establish a comprehensive framework for designing a complex cascade SX operation that allows multi-extractant application, which is demonstrated to be the prominent method for achieving an economy of scale in REE extraction processing. The framework aims to simplify the complexities associated with designing a massive multi-extractant operation by offering a structured workflow to be followed during the design process. In this light, a novel integrated framework combining the Douglas’s approach and Xu counter-current principle was constructed. The Douglas-Xu model outlined five main steps inclusive of input information, batch versus continuous versus hybrid, input-output structure, recycling, as well as separation and filtration. Through this new approach, a multi-extraction system combining 2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (P507), Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (P204), and Bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)phosphinic acid (C272) was determined the most optimal solution given the EP value has reached a staggering net amount of $19.3 million with feedstock capacity of 1180.24 tons and production throughput of 332.9 tons. This performance was far more superb against any single extraction basis. The EP for a single extraction system for P204 and P507 were $2.4 million and $13.3 million, respectively, with respective feedstock and production throughput amounts of 1180.24 tons and 122.1 tons for P204 and 1180.24 tons and 109.2 tons for P507. In addition, it was determined that P507 alone was not suitable for extracting Ho, Er, and Y due to low throughput; instead C272 was identified as the most suitable candidate for extracting these elements. This study also found that the correlation between recovery rate and the processing ratio of A to B, reflux ratio, and product throughput was significant in influencing the plant performance as a whole. It also revealed that the multi-extractants of P507-P204-C272 configuration were the most optimal choice for the integrated extraction processing of light, mid and particularly heavy REEs from Malaysian saprolite resources.Overall, the Douglas–Xu model simplifies the design of large-scale multi-extractant SX operations and demonstrates that integrating multiple extractants can achieve both technical efficiency and strong economic viability in REE processing.
THE0010433 (Local)
Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology--Dissertations
Universities and colleges--Dissertations