Rotating Disc Extraction Columns (RDC)
Goel Glass manufactures high-efficiency Rotating Disc Extraction Columns (RDC) engineered for demanding liquid-liquid extraction processes where classical thermal distillation is unviable—such as close-boiling mixtures, thermal-cracking compounds, azeotropes, and temperature-sensitive biologicals. Liquid-liquid extraction leverages selective solute solubility differences rather than vapor pressure differentials to isolate high-value target compounds.
The RDC column is an agitated compartment contactor consisting of alternating stator rings fixed to the glass column wall and flat rotor discs mounted on a centrally rotating shaft. As two counter-current liquid phases pass through the column, the rotating discs generate controlled shear forces that disperse the dispersed phase into finely uniform droplets, greatly maximizing interfacial contact area without causing intractable emulsion formation.
Engineered Construction & Customization
The active extraction section typically spans heights from 1 m to 3 m, engineered with variable stage counts to achieve the required number of theoretical stages. Agitator rotor discs and stators are precision-machined from pure virgin PTFE, Stainless Steel 304, or SS 316 to suit aggressive chemical environments.
A variable-speed geared drive motor with an AC frequency inverter provides fine RPM regulation, coupled to the center shaft via a zero-leakage PTFE or silicon carbide mechanical seal. The outer column can be supplied in single-wall Borosilicate 3.3 for ambient extractions or fully jacketed for precise isothermal and low-temperature process control.
| Model | Size | DN (mm)Hight |
|---|---|---|
| RDC3 | 80 | 2.0 |
| RDC4 | 100 | 2.0 |
| RDC6 | 150 | 2.0 |
Key Engineering Features
- Gentle Agitation Shear: High interfacial transfer area without emulsion formation or droplet breakup.
- Variable Rotor Speed: Digital AC inverter allows optimal droplet retention time tuning.
- Corrosion-Proof Components: High-purity Borosilicate 3.3 outer shell with PTFE or 316L rotor blades.
- Modular Height & Stages: Scalable column heights from 1 m to 3 m to meet target separation specs.
Industrial Applications
- Azeotropic & Close-Boiling Separations: Purifying mixtures unresolvable through thermal distillation.
- Pharmaceutical Active Ingredient Washing: Counter-current extraction of biological molecules and APIs.
- Phenol & Heavy Organic Recovery: Extracting aromatics and polar contaminants from industrial wastewater.
- Petrochemical Solvent Refining: Dearomatization and selective lube oil extraction trials.