A device for separating rare earth elements by water saponification extraction and a separation method thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of rare earth element extraction, and discloses a rare earth element water saponification extraction separation device and a separation method thereof, which comprises an extraction tank, a mounting rod is rotatably mounted at the center of the bottom of the extraction tank, a mounting sleeve is sleeved with the outer wall of the mounting rod, a plurality of capturing members are fixedly connected with the outer wall of the mounting sleeve, the inner wall of each capturing member is fixedly connected with a capturing layer, and the capturing member has two states. Through the synergistic innovation process of "automatic interface indication-pure product preferential recovery-precise capture and mechanical crushing of emulsion layer-secondary recovery", efficient, online and automatic processing of the stubborn emulsion layer generated in the extraction process is realized. The device effectively solves the industry pain points of low recovery rate, frequent shutdown for cleaning, high dependence on manual operation, serious environmental pollution and the like in the traditional process, and significantly improves the continuity, economic benefit and environmental benefit of rare earth extraction and separation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of rare earth element extraction technology, specifically to a rare earth element water saponification extraction and separation device and its separation method. Background Technology

[0002] Rare earth elements (REEs) are a collective term for 17 elements in the periodic table, including the lanthanides, scandium, and yttrium. They are not actually "rare," but their dispersed nature and extreme difficulty in separation and purification give them their name. Rare earth elements are hailed as "vitamins of modern industry" and a "treasure trove of new materials," and are a vital strategic resource for any nation.

[0003] Rare earth elements have extremely similar chemical properties, especially the adjacent lanthanides, which have very low separation coefficients, making their separation and purification a global challenge. Solvent extraction is currently the only mainstream and economically feasible technology for the industrial production of high-purity single rare earth elements.

[0004] However, current extraction processes are prone to forming a stubborn third phase—an emulsion layer—at the interface between the organic and aqueous phases due to the complex composition of the feed solution (often containing impurities such as silicon, calcium, magnesium, iron, and aluminum), extractant degradation, and fluctuating operating conditions. This emulsion layer is viscous, rich in solid particles and colloids, and not only carries away a large amount of valuable rare earth elements, causing direct yield losses, but may also clog the interstage inlets, pipes, and valves of the mixing and clarification tank, leading to poor two-phase flow, flooding, and miscibility, forcing frequent production line shutdowns for cleaning, severely disrupting the continuity and stability of production, and significantly increasing operation and maintenance costs. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a rare earth element water saponification extraction and separation device and its separation method to solve at least one technical problem existing in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a rare earth element water saponification extraction and separation device, comprising an extraction tank, an installation rod rotatably mounted at the bottom center of the extraction tank, an installation sleeve sleeved on the outer wall of the installation rod, and multiple capturing elements fixedly connected to the outer wall of the installation sleeve, each capturing element having a capturing layer fixedly connected to its inner wall, and the capturing element having two states:

[0007] State 1: Closed state, all capture components are completely closed and fit against the outer wall of the mounting sleeve, forming a sealed spherical structure. The overall density in this state is designed to allow it to be stably suspended at the interface between the organic phase and the emulsion layer.

[0008] State 2: Open state, the capturing element bends upward and in the opposite direction, exposing the capturing layer on the inner wall;

[0009] The control assembly is capable of switching the capturing members from state one to state two and controlling the vertical movement adjustment of the capturing members.

[0010] The crushing assembly is capable of crushing the emulsion layer at different positions.

[0011] Preferably, the control assembly comprises a through hole formed in the center of the top of the extraction tank, a sliding sleeve is slidingly installed on the inner wall of the through hole, the inner wall of the sliding sleeve is slidingly connected with the outer wall of the installation rod, a slidable control disc is installed on the outer wall of the sliding sleeve, a plurality of through circular holes are formed in the outer wall of the control disc, a control connecting rod is rotatably installed on the outer wall of each capturing member, the top of each control connecting rod penetrates through a corresponding circular hole, and a limiting block is fixed to the top of each control connecting rod, the diameter of the limiting block is greater than the diameter of the circular hole.

[0012] Preferably, the crushing assembly comprises a plurality of annular grooves formed in the outer wall of the installation rod, an arc-shaped cutting knife is rotatably installed in each annular groove, a third magnet is installed in each arc-shaped cutting knife, a cavity is formed in the inner center of the installation rod, a vertically slidable sliding rod is installed on the inner wall of the cavity, an electromagnet is installed in the sliding rod, and the electromagnet can generate a repulsive force on the third magnet.

[0013] Preferably, a connecting cross rod is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the installation rod, and a stirring rod is fixedly connected to one end of the connecting cross rod.

[0014] Preferably, a plurality of suction tubes are installed through the top of the extraction tank, one end of each suction tube is fixedly installed on the outer wall of a corresponding capturing member, one section of each suction tube is a corrugated tube, and the end of each suction tube that penetrates out of the extraction tank is connected with an external suction pump device.

[0015] Preferably, a mounting shell is fixedly installed at the bottom of the extraction tank, a rotatable drive gear is installed on the inner wall of the mounting shell, the installation rod penetrates out of the bottom of the extraction tank, a driven gear is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the installation rod outside the extraction tank, and the drive gear is engaged with the driven gear.

[0016] Preferably, a first magnet is arranged in the sliding sleeve, a second magnet is arranged on the inner wall of the mounting sleeve, and the opposite faces of the first magnet and the second magnet are different magnetic poles.

[0017] Preferably, a high-low difference waterproof rubber layer is arranged at the connection of each capturing member, the waterproof rubber layer is tightly compressed when in state one, and a rubber layer is also arranged at the connection between each capturing member and the outer wall of the mounting sleeve.

[0018] Preferably, two feeding inlets are arranged on the top of the extraction tank, and a discharging outlet is arranged on the bottom of the extraction tank.

[0019] A rare earth water saponification extraction separation method comprises the following steps:

[0020] In the first step, the organic phase and the water phase are proportionally put into the extraction tank by the staff, and the installation rod is driven to rotate by the external driving assembly, so as to drive the stirring rod and the connecting cross rod to rotate, thereby completing the stirring of the liquid in the extraction tank and increasing the extraction rate.

[0021] In the second step, the installation rod is stopped from rotating by the driving assembly, so that the liquid in the extraction tank is allowed to stand and stratify, and the suspension ball composed of multiple capturing members is suspended at the interface between the organic phase and the emulsion layer under the influence of the density, so as to facilitate the observation of the staff.

[0022] In the third step, the organic phase above the emulsion layer is sucked by the suction pipe fixed to the outer wall of the capturing member, so as to complete the separation of the organic phase.

[0023] In the fourth step, the installation rod is driven to rotate by the external driving assembly, so as to drive the connecting cross rod and the stirring rod to rotate. In the process of rotating around the axis of the installation rod, a vortex is formed on the water surface of the water phase, so that the emulsion layer above the vortex moves towards the installation rod, and the emulsion layer is broken by the breaking assembly, so that the large blocks in the emulsion layer are dispersed into small blocks.

[0024] In the fifth step, the capturing member is switched to state two by the control assembly, so that the capturing member is opened and separated, and the capturing layer on the inner wall of the capturing member is exposed to the emulsion layer by being bent upwards, and the capturing member is moved up and down by the control assembly to capture the emulsion layer on the upper layer of the water phase.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present application are as follows:

[0026] The present application realizes efficient, online and automatic processing of the stubborn emulsion layer generated in the extraction process through the synergistic innovation process of "automatic interface indication-pure product preferential recovery-precise capture and mechanical breaking of the emulsion layer-secondary recovery", which effectively solves the industry pain points of low recovery rate, frequent shutdown for cleaning, high dependence on manual operation and serious environmental pollution in traditional processes, and significantly improves the continuity, economic benefit and environmental benefit of rare earth extraction and separation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present application;

[0028] Figure 2 is a front view and an enlarged view of part of the structure of the present application;

[0029] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the present application;

[0030] Figure 4 is an enlarged view of A in the present application Figure 3 ;

[0031] Figure 5 is a schematic view of the present application in the state of the cutting knife unfolded;

[0032] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the external drive assembly in the present application;

[0033] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the suspension ball and other components in the present application;

[0034] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the suspension ball unfolded in the present application.

[0035] In the figure: 1, extraction tank; 2, feed inlet; 3, drive gear; 4, sliding sleeve; 5, control disc; 6, round hole; 7, mounting rod; 8, control connecting rod; 9, first magnet; 10, second magnet; 11, capture piece; 12, capture layer; 13, suction pipe; 14, arc-shaped cutting knife; 15, connecting crossbar; 16, stirring rod; 17, sliding rod; 18, bellows; 19, mounting sleeve; 20, mounting shell; 21, discharge port; 22, driven gear; 23, limit block. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0037] Please refer to Figures 1 to 8 , the present application provides a technical solution: a rare earth water saponification extraction separation device, comprising an extraction tank 1, a mounting rod 7 is rotatably installed at the center of the bottom of the extraction tank 1, a mounting sleeve 19 is sleeved on the outer wall of the mounting rod 7, a plurality of capture pieces 11 are fixedly connected to the outer wall of the mounting sleeve 19, the inner wall of each capture piece 11 is fixedly connected with a capture layer 12, and the capture piece 11 has two states:

[0038] State one: closed state, all capture pieces 11 are completely closed and fit the outer wall of the mounting sleeve 19, together forming a closed spherical structure, and the overall density in this state is designed to enable it to stably suspend at the interface between the organic phase and the emulsion layer;

[0039] State two: open state, the capture piece 11 is reversely bent upward, so that the capture layer 12 of the inner wall is exposed;

[0040] Further comprising a control assembly, which can make the capture piece 11 switch from state one to state two, and can control the vertical movement of the capture piece 11;

[0041] Further comprising a crushing assembly, which can crush the emulsion layer in different positions.

[0042] When the water phase (containing rare earth ion-containing acidic solution) needs to be extracted, the organic phase and the water phase are first put into the extraction tank 1 by the staff according to the proportion, and the organic phase and the water phase put in will complete the extraction reaction independently in the extraction tank 1, that is, the organic phase (extractant) will capture the rare earth ions in the water phase and transfer them to the organic phase. When the extraction reaction is completed and left for a period of time, the water phase and the organic phase will complete the layering due to the difference in density, the upper layer is the organic phase loaded with rare earth elements, the middle layer is the stubborn emulsion layer, and the lower layer is the raffinate water phase. Since the overall density of the capture piece 11 is precisely designed and is in state one in the initial stage, it automatically suspends and stabilizes at the interface between the organic phase and the emulsion layer under the action of buoyancy. At this time, the external suction equipment is inserted from the top of the extraction tank 1 to suck away the organic phase loaded with rare earth elements in the upper layer inside the extraction tank 1, so as to complete the separation of rare earth elements (the outer wall of the extraction tank 1 can be provided with an observation window, and the staff can accurately observe the position of the emulsion layer through the suspended ball composed of the capture piece 11 to complete the automatic interface indication, so as to accurately recover the upper layer of pure organic phase product, effectively avoiding cross contamination caused by interface disturbance).

[0043] When the extraction of the organic phase is completed, only the emulsion layer in the upper layer and the water phase in the lower layer remain in the extraction tank 1. At this time, the emulsion layer in the upper layer is crushed by the crushing assembly, completely destroying its stable colloidal structure and forcing it to release the valuable organic phase and water phase entrained therein. At this time, the staff can judge whether to recycle it according to the amount of organic phase therein. If recycling is needed, the residual organic phase is again left to stratify, so that it re-floats to the uppermost layer, and is recovered by the external suction equipment. If recycling is not needed, the crushed emulsion layer is directly fished: the capture piece 11 is switched to state two by the control assembly, that is, the suspended ball composed of the capture piece 11 is opened, the capture piece 11 is reversely bent upward like a petal, the capture layer 12 inside is completely exposed, and it is immersed in the emulsion layer, so that the capture layer 12 completes the capture of the emulsion layer. In this process, the capture piece 11 can be driven upward by the control assembly to rise out of the water and re-immersed in the emulsion layer, so that the water phase attached to the capture layer 12 falls off, so that the capture layer 12 can capture the flower to the limit.

[0044] In summary, the application realizes efficient, online and automatic processing of the stubborn emulsion layer generated in the extraction process through the synergistic innovation process of "automatic interface indication-pure product priority recovery-emulsion layer accurate capture and mechanical crushing-secondary recovery". The device effectively solves the industry pain points of low recovery rate, frequent shutdown for cleaning, high dependence on manual work and serious environmental pollution in traditional processes, and significantly improves the continuity, economic benefits and environmental benefits of rare earth extraction and separation.

[0045] It is worth noting that the capture layer 12 can preferably be a bristle tuft, that is, dense, about 2-5 cm long, hard PTFE filaments are planted on the inner wall of the capture member 11. These filaments need to be stiff enough to penetrate the viscous material. Since PTFE is extremely non-sticky, the captured material will not stick to the filaments. In the collection, the material can be easily removed by scraping with a scraper or slight vibration.

[0046] In addition, it is worth mentioning that the connection between the capture member 11 and the mounting sleeve 19 adopts an elastic connecting piece.

[0047] Further, the control assembly includes a through hole opened in the center of the top of the extraction tank 1, a sliding sleeve 4 is slidingly installed on the inner wall of the through hole, and the inner wall of the sliding sleeve 4 is slidingly connected with the outer wall of the mounting rod 7. A slidable control disc 5 is installed on the outer wall of the sliding sleeve 4, and a plurality of through circular holes 6 are opened on the outer wall of the control disc 5. A control connecting rod 8 is rotatably installed on the outer wall of each capture member 11, the top of each control connecting rod 8 passes through the corresponding circular hole 6, and the top of each control connecting rod 8 is fixed with a limiting block 23. The diameter of the limiting block 23 is larger than the diameter of the circular hole 6.

[0048] Referring to Figure 2When the emulsified layer is broken, and the state of the capturing member 11 needs to be switched to state two, the slide sleeve 4 is controlled to move downward by the air cylinder installed on the top of the extraction tank 1, so as to drive the connecting crossbar 15 to move downward and press the mounting sleeve 19, and the control disc 5 is driven to move upward by the electric sliding block (not shown in the figure, and can be referred to the linear optical axis sliding block) installed on the outer wall of the slide sleeve 4. Under the joint action of the mounting sleeve 19 and the control disc 5, the limiting block 23 is in contact with the top of the control disc 5, and the control connecting rod 8 is driven to move upward by the limiting block 23, so that the capturing member 11 is pulled away from the center, and the plurality of suspended balls composed of the capturing member 11 are opened. In the process of continuous upward movement of the control disc 5, the capturing member 11 is bent upward again to form a multi-petal petal shape, so that the capturing layer 12 is exposed (that is, the bottom of the capturing member 11 in state two), and the capturing layer 12 can capture the broken emulsified layer. The slide sleeve 4 is repeatedly moved in the vertical direction by the air cylinder on the top of the extraction tank 1, so that the capturing member 11 is repeatedly moved up and down on the surface of the emulsified layer under the action of the buoyancy. As known above, the capturing layer 12 is a bristle cluster, which can perform the dynamic cycle of “digging-up and floating-up” in the process of up-and-down movement: when moving downward, the capturing member 11 extrudes and “digs” the emulsified layer; when moving upward, the buoyancy helps the capturing member 11 to separate, and a large amount of emulsified layer material is hooked and towed by the capturing layer 12 (PTFE bristle) in the process of movement, so as to complete the capture of the emulsified layer.

[0049] Further, the breaking assembly comprises a plurality of annular grooves formed in the outer wall of the mounting rod 7, and each annular groove is rotatably installed with an arc-shaped cutting knife 14. The inside of each arc-shaped cutting knife 14 is installed with a third magnet. The inside of the mounting rod 7 is provided with a cavity, and a slide rod 17 capable of being vertically adjusted and slid is installed on the inner wall of the cavity. The inside of the slide rod 17 is installed with an electromagnet, and the electromagnet can generate a repulsive force to the third magnet.

[0050] Referring to Figure 2 and Figure 5 When the mixed liquid in the extraction tank 1 is stratified, the slide rod 17 is driven by the external driving assembly to move upward to the position below the capturing member 11. Under the action of the electromagnet and the third magnet, the arc-shaped cutting knife 14 is driven to pop out, and the mounting rod 7 is driven to rotate by the external driving assembly, so as to complete the purpose of breaking the emulsified layer by the mounting rod 7.

[0051] In addition, it is worth noting that the electromagnet can be arranged in the inside of the slide rod 17.

[0052] It is worth mentioning that, referring to Figure 5, the rotating direction of the mounting rod 7 is counterclockwise, so that the arc-shaped cutting knife 14 will be subjected to the repulsive force of the electromagnet and the thrust of the water flow in the process of rotation, and then the arc-shaped cutting knife 14 can irregularly swing in the process of breaking the emulsion layer, which is equivalent to upgrading from “single path repeated cutting” to “multi-angle, irregular tearing and pulling”, and such random impact and shearing force can more effectively destroy the complex colloid network structure and solid particle stable system in the emulsion layer, thereby greatly improving the breaking efficiency and effect, especially for particularly stubborn emulsion layer.

[0053] Further, the outer wall of the mounting rod 7 is fixedly connected with a connecting cross rod 15, one end of the connecting cross rod 15 is fixedly connected with a stirring rod 16.

[0054] Referring to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the connecting cross rod 15 and the stirring rod 16 are installed with two functions: one is that in the initial extraction stage, the mounting rod 7 is driven to rotate by the external driving assembly, so as to complete the stirring of the mixed liquid in the extraction tank 1, so as to increase the extraction rate and the combination probability of the organic phase and the aqueous phase; the second is that after the upper organic phase is extracted, the stirring rod 16 is driven to rotate by the rotation of the mounting rod 7, the stirring rod 16 rotates around the axis of the mounting rod 7, so that the lower aqueous phase of the extraction tank 1 forms a vortex, and then the emulsion layer floating on the aqueous phase can be gathered towards the mounting rod 7, so as to prepare for the next breaking and capturing.

[0055] Further, a plurality of extraction pipes 13 are installed through the top of the extraction tank 1, one end of each extraction pipe 13 is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the corresponding capturing member 11, one section of each extraction pipe 13 is a corrugated pipe 18, and the end of each extraction pipe 13 penetrating out of the extraction tank 1 is connected with an external suction pump device.

[0056] Referring to Figure 2 and Figure 4 , each extraction pipe 13 can move with the capturing member 11 in the liquid, and when the capturing member 11 is located above the emulsion layer after being placed, the extraction pipe 13 on the outer wall of the capturing member 11 can be stably located at the lowermost part of the organic phase, so as to complete the extraction of the organic phase, prevent errors caused by manual confirmation of the position by the staff, and the corrugated pipe 18 can compensate the relative motion between the capturing member 11 and the extraction tank 1 when the capturing member 11 switches state or moves, completely eliminating the sealing hidden danger caused by the movable connection, and ensuring that the extraction pipe 13 is always sealed and reliable in the dynamic working process.

[0057] Further, the bottom of the extraction tank 1 is fixedly installed with a mounting shell 20, a rotatable driving gear 3 is installed on the inner wall of the mounting shell 20, the mounting rod 7 penetrates out of the bottom of the extraction tank 1, a driven gear 22 is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the mounting rod 7 outside the extraction tank 1, and the driving gear 3 is engaged with the driven gear 22.

[0058] The above components collectively constitute a driving assembly, which will be described below Figure 6 When it is necessary to rotate the mounting rod 7, the motor fixed at the bottom of the mounting shell 20 is started to drive the driving gear 3 to rotate, thereby driving the driven gear 22 to rotate, and further driving the mounting rod 7 to rotate, and further driving the connecting cross rod 15 and the stirring rod 16 to rotate. When it is necessary to rotate the arc-shaped cutting knife 14 out of the emulsion layer for crushing, the second cylinder fixed at the bottom of the mounting shell 20 drives the sliding rod 17 to move upward, thereby driving the arc-shaped cutting knife 14 to rotate out under the action of the magnetic force.

[0059] Further, the sliding sleeve 4 is internally provided with the first magnet 9, and the mounting sleeve 19 is internally provided with the second magnet 10, and the opposite faces of the first magnet 9 and the second magnet 10 are different magnetic poles.

[0060] Referring to Figure 8 When the first magnet 9 and the second magnet 10 are embedded in the inner wall of the sliding sleeve 4 and the mounting sleeve 19, when the mounting sleeve 19 and the sliding sleeve 4 are close to contact, the first magnet 9 and the second magnet 10 will be attracted to each other under the action of the attractive force, forming a temporary rigid whole, so that the sliding sleeve 4 can be synchronously lifted during the subsequent process of being driven by the cylinder at the top of the extraction tank 1 to move up and down, preventing the capturing member 11 from not being able to rise to the water surface again by the buoyancy after capturing enough emulsion layer, and making it more convenient to recycle and replace the capturing member 11.

[0061] Further, the connection part of each capturing member 11 is provided with a waterproof rubber layer with a height difference, and in state one, the waterproof rubber layer is tightly compressed, and the connection part of each capturing member 11 and the outer wall of the mounting sleeve 19 is also provided with a rubber layer.

[0062] The multiple waterproof rubber layers provided at the connection part of the capturing member 11 can greatly increase the path resistance of the invasion of water, dust and other pollutants. When the capturing member 11 is in state one, the waterproof rubber layer is tightly compressed and elastically deformed, thereby actively filling all micro-manufacturing tolerances and gaps to form the first solid and reliable sealing barrier.

[0063] Further, two feed inlets 2 are provided at the top of the extraction tank 1, and a discharge outlet 21 is provided at the bottom of the extraction tank 1.

[0064] Referring to Figure 3 Two feed inlets 2 are provided at the top of the extraction tank 1, and the two feed inlets 2 can respectively connect the water phase and the organic phase conveying pipelines to mix in the inner wall of the extraction tank 1 in a corresponding ratio, and the discharge outlet 21 at the bottom of the extraction tank 1 can discharge the water phase therein in the last stage.

[0065] A rare earth element water saponification extraction separation method, comprising the following steps:

[0066] The first step, by the staff will be organic and aqueous phase in proportion to the input into the extraction tank 1, and by the external drive assembly with the installation rod 7 rotation, thus driving the stirring rod 16 and connecting the horizontal rod 15 rotation, and thus complete the stirring of the liquid in the extraction tank 1, increase the extraction rate;

[0067] The second step, by the drive assembly to stop the installation rod 7 rotation, so that the liquid in the extraction tank 1 inside the stratification, until the liquid in the extraction tank 1 inside the stable, at this time by a plurality of capture piece 11 composed of the suspension ball will be in its density of the influence of the interface between the organic phase and the emulsion layer, in order to facilitate the staff observation;

[0068] The third step, by the fixed in the capture piece 11 outer wall of the suction tube 13 on the organic phase above the emulsion layer to complete the separation of the organic phase;

[0069] The fourth step, by the external drive assembly with the installation rod 7 rotation, and thus drive the connecting horizontal rod 15 and the stirring rod 16 rotation, in the connecting horizontal rod 15 with the installation rod 7 axis rotation, will form a vortex on the water surface of the water phase, so that the emulsion layer above it to move closer to the installation rod 7 direction, and by the broken component will be broken emulsion layer, so that the polymerization of the large block dispersed into small pieces;

[0070] The fifth step, by the control assembly to make the capture piece 11 switch to state two, so the capture piece 11 open separation, and bend upwards so that its inner wall of the capture layer 12 exposed in the emulsion layer, and by the control assembly to make the capture piece 11 up and down, the emulsion layer on the water phase capture.

[0071] The standard parts used in this embodiment can be directly purchased from the market, and the non-standard structure parts according to the description and the drawings can also be directly processed according to the existing technical knowledge without doubt, and the connection mode of each part adopts the mature conventional means in the existing technology, and the machinery, parts and equipment adopt the conventional type in the existing technology, so the specific description is not made here.

[0072] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described, it can be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, replacements and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirits of the present application, and the scope of the present application is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A rare earth element water saponification extraction and separation device, comprising an extraction tank (1), characterized in that: An installation rod (7) is rotatably mounted at the bottom center of the extraction tank (1). An installation sleeve (19) is sleeved on the outer wall of the installation rod (7). Multiple capture elements (11) are fixedly connected to the outer wall of the installation sleeve (19). Each capture element (11) has a capture layer (12) fixedly connected to its inner wall. The capture element (11) has two states: State 1: Closed state, all capture elements (11) are completely closed and fit against the outer wall of the mounting sleeve (19), forming a closed spherical structure. The overall density in this state allows it to be stably suspended at the interface between the organic phase and the emulsion layer. State 2: Open state, the capture member (11) bends upward in the opposite direction to expose the capture layer (12) on the inner wall; it also includes a control component that can switch the capture member (11) from state 1 to state 2 and can control the vertical movement adjustment of the capture member (11); it also includes a crushing component that can crush the emulsion layer at different positions; The control assembly includes a through hole at the center of the top of the extraction tank (1), a sliding sleeve (4) is slidably installed on the inner wall of the through hole, and the inner wall of the sliding sleeve (4) is slidably connected to the outer wall of the mounting rod (7). A slidable control disc (5) is installed on the outer wall of the sliding sleeve (4), and a plurality of through holes (6) are opened on the outer wall of the control disc (5). A control link (8) is rotatably installed on the outer wall of each capture element (11), the top of each control link (8) passes through the corresponding hole (6), and a limit block (23) is fixed on the top of each control link (8). The diameter of the limit block (23) is larger than the diameter of the hole (6).

2. The rare earth element water saponification extraction and separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The crushing assembly includes several annular grooves formed on the outer wall of the mounting rod (7). Each annular groove is rotatably fitted with an arc-shaped cutting blade (14), and each arc-shaped cutting blade (14) is fitted with a third magnet. The mounting rod (7) has a cavity at its center. The inner wall of the cavity is fitted with a sliding rod (17) that can be vertically slidably adjusted. An electromagnet is fitted inside the sliding rod (17), and the electromagnet can generate a repulsive force on the third magnet.

3. The rare earth element water saponification extraction and separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting rod (7) is fixedly connected to a connecting crossbar (15) on its outer wall, and a stirring rod (16) is fixedly connected to one end of the connecting crossbar (15).

4. The rare earth element water saponification extraction and separation device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The top of the extraction tank (1) is equipped with several suction tubes (13). One end of each suction tube (13) is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the corresponding capture element (11). One section of each suction tube (13) is a corrugated pipe (18), and one end of each suction tube (13) that extends out of the extraction tank (1) is connected to an external suction pump device.

5. The rare earth element water saponification extraction and separation device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The bottom of the extraction tank (1) is fixedly installed with a mounting shell (20), and a rotatable drive gear (3) is installed on the inner wall of the mounting shell (20). The mounting rod (7) extends through the bottom of the extraction tank (1), and a driven gear (22) is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the mounting rod (7) outside the extraction tank (1). The drive gear (3) meshes with the driven gear (22).

6. The rare earth element water saponification extraction and separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sliding sleeve (4) is provided with a first magnet (9) inside, and the inner wall of the mounting sleeve (19) is provided with a second magnet (10), and the opposite surfaces of the first magnet (9) and the second magnet (10) are different magnetic poles.

7. The rare earth element water saponification extraction and separation apparatus according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that: Each of the capture elements (11) is provided with a waterproof rubber layer with varying height at the connection point. In state one, the waterproof rubber layer is tightly pressed together, and each of the capture elements (11) is also provided with a rubber layer at the connection point between it and the outer wall of the mounting sleeve (19).

8. The rare earth element water saponification extraction and separation apparatus according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that: The extraction tank (1) has two feed inlets (2) at the top and a discharge outlet (21) at the bottom.

9. A method for separating rare earth elements by water saponification extraction, using the rare earth element water saponification extraction separation apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: The first step involves the staff adding the organic phase and aqueous phase into the extraction tank (1) in proportion, and driving the mounting rod (7) to rotate through the external drive component, thereby driving the stirring rod (16) and the connecting crossbar (15) to rotate, thus completing the stirring of the liquid inside the extraction tank (1) and increasing the extraction rate. The second step is to stop the installation rod (7) from rotating by driving the component, so that the liquid inside the extraction tank (1) can stand still and separate into layers until the liquid inside the extraction tank (1) is stable. At this time, the suspended ball composed of multiple capture elements (11) will be suspended at the interface between the organic phase and the emulsion layer due to its density, so that the staff can observe it. The third step is to extract the organic phase on the emulsion layer through the suction tube (13) fixed to the outer wall of the capture element (11) to complete the separation of the organic phase; The fourth step is to drive the mounting rod (7) to rotate through the external drive component, which in turn drives the connecting crossbar (15) and the stirring rod (16) to rotate. During the rotation of the connecting crossbar (15) around the axis of the mounting rod (7), a vortex will be formed on the surface of the water phase, which will cause the emulsion layer above it to move towards the mounting rod (7), and the emulsion layer will be broken by the crushing component, so that the large aggregated pieces are dispersed into small pieces. In the fifth step, the capture element (11) is switched to state two by the control component, so the capture element (11) opens and separates, and bends upward to expose the capture layer (12) on its inner wall to the emulsion layer. The capture element (11) is moved up and down by the control component to capture the emulsion layer on the upper layer of the aqueous phase.

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