In titanium dioxide production, the sulfate process generates tens of millions of tons of waste acid every year, posing a persistent environmental burden for enterprises. These seemingly useless waste acids, however, contain a valuable dispersed rare metal—scandium, often referred to as the “industrial vitamin.” As a strategically scarce resource, scandium holds exceptional value in aerospace, new energy, and high-end electronics, yet it has long remained underutilized due to technological bottlenecks in recovery.
The CWL-M series centrifugal extractor, developed by Zhengzhou Tiei Extraction Technology Co., Ltd., serves as a core liquid–liquid extraction equipment and demonstrates significant advantages in the recovery of scandium from titanium dioxide waste acid. It opens up a new pathway for scandium recovery that is efficient, environmentally friendly, and economically viable.
Extraction Process for Scandium Recovery from Titanium Dioxide Waste Acid
1.Aqueous Phase: Titanium dioxide waste acid mother liquor is used as the aqueous phase.
2.Organic Phase: Dichloromethane is used as the diluent to prepare a bisphosphonic acid extractant (N,N-di-n-octylamine bis(methylene phenyl phosphinic acid)) as the organic phase.
3.Mixing and Separation: The aqueous and organic phases are fed into the CWL-M series centrifugal extractor at an optimized phase ratio. Inside the equipment, efficient mixing and mass transfer occur first, enabling scandium to be effectively transferred from the aqueous phase to the organic phase. Subsequently, under high-speed centrifugal force, rapid phase separation is achieved, yielding a scandium-loaded organic phase and a raffinate containing other metal elements. The CWL-M centrifugal extractor enhances mass transfer and separation, thereby improving extraction efficiency and separation performance.
Advantages of the Centrifugal Extraction Process
1.Extraction efficiency up to 99.9%: The novel extractant exhibits excellent extraction capacity and selectivity for scandium.
2.Recyclable extractant with low consumption: Cost-effective and readily available, significantly reducing operating costs.
3.Reduced solvent loss: No emulsification occurs; immiscibility with water minimizes organic phase loss.
4.Environmentally friendly: No saponification required, and no saline or ammonia-containing wastewater is generated.
Core Equipment: Performance Advantages of the CWL-M Series Centrifugal Extractor
1.Strong corrosion resistance: Wetted parts are made of special materials to withstand waste acid corrosion.
2.High extraction efficiency: Enhanced mass transfer–separation design ensures efficient scandium recovery.
3.Continuous operation: Supports multi-stage countercurrent operation, enabling stable industrial-scale production.
4.High level of automation: Enables unattended operation of the extraction section.
Scandium is difficult to concentrate in nature and typically occurs in association with other minerals, making its recovery process complex and costly. The CWL-M centrifugal extractor, a specialized piece of scandium extraction equipment, applies solvent extraction technology to recover scandium from titanium dioxide waste acid. It provides an effective solution to the global challenge of scandium supply, delivering both strong economic and social benefits.
Email: sales@tieiextraction.com
Whatsapp: +86 19069612820
