Extraction of sulphuric acid with Alamine 308 using pseudo-emulsion based hollow fibre strip dispersion technique

• H2SO4 was recovered as (NH4)2SO4 using the smart pseudo-emulsion strip dispersion technology.
• The performance of the carrier Alamine 308 and the extraction equilibrium were inspected.
• The acid transport was analysed for several conditions, including the use of industrial streams.
• High content of (NH4)2SO4 (a product with commercial value) was achieved in the strippant.

The extraction of sulphuric acid from aqueous solutions and its recovery as ammonium sulphate using pseudo-emulsion based hollow fibre strip dispersion technique was investigated. The tertiary amine Alamine 308 was used as an extractant in most experiments. The effects on the permeation of various parameters such as the flow rates and the composition of the membrane, strippant and feed phases were studied. The analysis of sulphuric acid transport was made on the basis of the overall mass transfer coefficient of permeation, the values being found in the range of 3 × 10−7–5 × 10−6 m/s. The mass transfer resistances were also examined, the relative contribution due to the transport in the membrane being found quite significant.