Armfield UOP4 MKII User manual

SOLID/LIQUID EXTRACTION UNIT
Instruction Manual
UOP4 MKII
ISSUE 16
November 2010

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Table of Contents
Copyright and Trademarks...................................................................................... 1
General Overview ....................................................................................................... 2
Equipment Diagrams................................................................................................... 3
Important Safety Information..................................................................................... 10
Introduction............................................................................................................ 10
General Safety Rules ............................................................................................ 10
The COSHH Regulations ...................................................................................... 14
Water Borne Hazards............................................................................................ 15
Electrical Safety..................................................................................................... 15
Description................................................................................................................ 17
Overview................................................................................................................ 17
Process Components............................................................................................ 18
Console (Front Panel Components)...................................................................... 21
Console (Rear Panel Components)....................................................................... 23
Console (Components on Underside)................................................................... 24
Installation................................................................................................................. 25
Advisory................................................................................................................. 25
Installation Requirements...................................................................................... 25
Installation Process ............................................................................................... 26
Connection to Services.......................................................................................... 26
Using the Optional Educational Software and Data Logging Accessory............... 28
Commissioning...................................................................................................... 28
Electrical Wiring Diagram...................................................................................... 30
Operation .................................................................................................................. 31
Operating the Software.......................................................................................... 31
Operating the Equipment....................................................................................... 41
Cleaning after use ................................................................................................. 49
Equipment Specifications.......................................................................................... 52
Overall Dimensions ............................................................................................... 52

Table of Contents
I/O Port Pin Connections....................................................................................... 52
Environmental Conditions...................................................................................... 53
Routine Maintenance................................................................................................ 55
Responsibility ........................................................................................................ 55
General.................................................................................................................. 55
Configuration of the PID Temperature Controllers................................................ 56
Recalibration of the Thermocouple Conditioning Circuits...................................... 58
Recalibration of the Conductivity Conditioning Circuits......................................... 59
RCD Test............................................................................................................... 60
Laboratory Teaching Exercises................................................................................. 61
Index to Exercises................................................................................................. 61
Introduction and Background................................................................................. 61
Nomenclature........................................................................................................ 62
Graphs of Concentration ....................................................................................... 64
Exercise A: Batch Extraction - Open Loop................................................................ 65
Exercise B: Batch Extraction - Closed Loop ............................................................. 69
Exercise C: Single Stage Continuous Extract........................................................... 73
Exercise D: Two Stage Continuous Extraction ......................................................... 79
Exercise E: Three Stage Continuous Extraction....................................................... 86
Project Work.............................................................................................................. 93
Contact Details for Further Information..................................................................... 95
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Disclaimer
This document and all the information contained within it is proprietary to Armfield
Limited. This document must not be used for any purpose other than that for which it
is supplied and its contents must not be reproduced, modified, adapted, published,
translated or disclosed to any third party, in whole or in part, without the prior written
permission of Armfield Limited.
Should you have any queries or comments, please contact the Armfield Customer
Support helpdesk (Monday to Friday: 0800 – 1800 GMT). Contact details are as
follows:
United Kingdom International
(0) 1425 478781
(calls charged at local rate) [phone] (international rates apply)
Email: [email protected]
Fax: [phone]
Copyright and Trademarks
Copyright © 2009 Armfield Limited. All rights reserved.
Any technical documentation made available by Armfield Limited is the copyright
work of Armfield Limited and wholly owned by Armfield Limited.
Brands and product names mentioned in this manual may be trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective companies and are hereby acknowledged.

General Overview
The extraction (leaching) of a substance from a solid material with the aid of a liquid
is a common process in chemical engineering which can be applied to appropriate
biological, inorganic and organic substances. A familiar activity which illustrates this
process is the making of tea or coffee, where hot water is used to perform the
extraction from tea leaves or coffee beans. Other examples are the extraction of
sugar from sugar beet using hot water and the extraction of oils from seeds using
organic solvents such as hexane, acetone or ether.
For the solid/liquid extraction process to be appropriate, the substance to be
extracted (tea) must be soluble while the solid phase (tea leaves) must be insoluble
in the chosen solvent (hot water). The appropriate solvent is introduced to the solid
material and the two remain in contact while the soluble component dissolves into the
solvent. The solvent containing the dissolved substance (the miscella) is then drained
from the insoluble solid. This is the basis of all solid/liquid extraction processes.
Further processing may be required to recover the extracted substance from the
solvent.
Before performing solid/liquid extraction the solid material must be prepared by
crushing, grinding or cutting, as appropriate, to allow adequate contact between the
solvent and the soluble component. The amount of preparation will depend on the
amount and distribution of the soluble component within the solid and the nature of
the solid (how easily diffusion can occur).
Numerous different types of solid/liquid extractors may be employed to perform the
basic task of introducing the solvent to the material to be extracted. The extraction
process may involve batch operation (fixed-bed) with the addition of open loop or
closed loop circulation of the solvent. Alternatively extraction may be a continuous
operation (moving-bed) with single or multi-stage processing involving co-current flow
or counter current flow of the solvent and the soluble material to be extracted. In
large scale industrial solid/liquid extraction systems economic factors frequently lead
to the use of the more sophisticated multi-stage counter current flow systems due to
their high extraction efficiency.
The Armfield UOP4 MkII is designed to demonstrate a simplified version of the
moving-bed leaching process used by many industrial solid/liquid extraction systems.
The process used is a continuous multi-stage process, which gives counter current
flow of the solvent and the solid phase. A batch extraction vessel is also incorporated
to allow demonstration of fixed-bed leaching with either open or closed loop
circulation of the solvent. The recommended process for the UOP4 MkII is the
extraction of Potassium Bicarbonate from a solid carrier of porous polymer pellets
using water as the solvent.
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Equipment Diagrams
Figure 1: Front View of UOP4 MKII Solid/Liquid Extraction Unit
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Figure 2: Side View of UOP4 MKII Solid/Liquid Extraction Unit
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Equipment Diagrams
Figure 3: UOP4 MKII Schematic Diagram Showing 3 Stage Process
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Figure 4: UOP4 MkII Console - Front View
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Equipment Diagrams
Figure 5: UOP4 MkII Console - Rear View
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Figure 6: PCB Connections
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Equipment Diagrams
Figure 7: Location of Temperature Calibration Potentiometers on PCB
Figure 8: Location of Conductivity Calibration Potentiometers on Conductivity Measurement PCB
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Important Safety Information
Introduction
All practical work areas and laboratories should be covered by local safety
regulations which must be followed at all times.
It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that all users are made aware of
relevant local regulations, and that the apparatus is operated in accordance with
those regulations. If requested then Armfield can supply a typical set of standard
laboratory safety rules, but these are guidelines only and should be modified as
required. Supervision of users should be provided whenever appropriate.
Your UOP4 MKII Solid/Liquid Extraction Unit has been designed to be safe in use
when installed, operated and maintained in accordance with the instructions in this
manual. As with any piece of sophisticated equipment, dangers exist if the equipment
is misused, mishandled or badly maintained.
Before proceeding to install, commission or operate the equipment described in this
instruction manual we wish to alert you to potential hazards so that they may be
avoided.
Although designed for safe operation, any laboratory equipment may involve
processes or procedures which are potentially hazardous. The major potential
hazards associated with this particular equipment are listed below.
INJURY THROUGH MISUSE
INJURY FROM ELECTRIC SHOCK
INJURY FROM ROTATING COMPONENTS
IRRITATION FROM DUST WHEN HANDLING DRY MATERIALS
BURNS FROM COMPONENTS AT HIGH TEMPERATURES
INJURY FROM INCORRECT HANDLING
DAMAGE TO CLOTHING
Accidents can be avoided provided that equipment is regularly maintained and
staff and students are made aware of potential hazards. A list of general safety
rules is included in this manual, to assist staff and students in this regard. The list is
not intended to be fully comprehensive but for guidance only.
Please refer to the notes overleaf regarding the Control of Substances Hazardous to
Health Regulations.
General Safety Rules
1. Follow Relevant Instructions
a. Before attempting to install, commission or operate equipment, all relevant
suppliers’/manufacturers’ instructions and local regulations should be
understood and implemented.

Important Safety Information
b. It is irresponsible and dangerous to misuse equipment or ignore instructions,
regulations or warnings.
c. Do not exceed specified maximum operating conditions (eg. temperature,
pressure, speed etc).
2. Installation
a. Use lifting tackle where possible to install heavy equipment. Where manual
lifting is necessary beware of strained backs and crushed toes. Get help from
an assistant if necessary. Wear safety shoes where appropriate.
b. Extreme care should be exercised to avoid damage to the equipment during
handling and unpacking. When using slings to lift equipment, ensure that the
slings are attached to structural framework and do not foul adjacent pipework,
glassware etc. When using fork lift trucks, position the forks beneath
structural framework ensuring that the forks do not foul adjacent pipework,
glassware etc. Damage may go unseen during commissioning creating a
potential hazard to subsequent operators.
c. Where special foundations are required follow the instructions provided and
do not improvise. Locate heavy equipment at low level.
d. Equipment involving inflammable or corrosive liquids should be sited in a
containment area or bund with a capacity 50% greater than the maximum
equipment contents.
e. Ensure that all services are compatible with the equipment and that
independent isolators are always provided and labelled. Use reliable
connections in all instances, do not improvise.
f. Ensure that all equipment is reliably earthed and connected to an electrical
supply at the correct voltage. The electrical supply must incorporate a
Residual Current Device (RCD) (alternatively called an Earth Leakage Circuit
Breaker - ELCB) to protect the operator from severe electric shock in the
event of misuse or accident.
g. Potential hazards should always be the first consideration when deciding on a
suitable location for equipment. Leave sufficient space between equipment
and between walls and equipment.
3. Commissioning
a. Ensure that equipment is commissioned and checked by a competent
member of staff before permitting students to operate it.
4. Operation
a. Ensure that students are fully aware of the potential hazards when operating
equipment.
b. Students should be supervised by a competent member of staff at all times
when in the laboratory. No one should operate equipment alone. Do not leave
equipment running unattended.
c. Do not allow students to derive their own experimental procedures unless
they are competent to do so.
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d. Serious injury can result from touching apparently stationary equipment when
using a stroboscope to `freeze´ rotary motion.
5. Maintenance
a. Badly maintained equipment is a potential hazard. Ensure that a competent
member of staff is responsible for organising maintenance and repairs on a
planned basis.
b. Do not permit faulty equipment to be operated. Ensure that repairs are carried
out competently and checked before students are permitted to operate the
equipment.
6. Using Electricity
a. At least once each month, check that ELCBs (RCCBs) are operating correctly
by pressing the TEST button. The circuit breaker must trip when the button is
pressed (failure to trip means that the operator is not protected and a repair
must be effected by a competent electrician before the equipment or electrical
supply is used).
b. Electricity is the commonest cause of accidents in the laboratory. Ensure that
all members of staff and students respect it.
c. Ensure that the electrical supply has been disconnected from the equipment
before attempting repairs or adjustments.
d. Water and electricity are not compatible and can cause serious injury if they
come into contact. Never operate portable electric appliances adjacent to
equipment involving water unless some form of constraint or barrier is
incorporated to prevent accidental contact.
e. Always disconnect equipment from the electrical supply when not in use.
7. Avoiding fires or explosion
a. Ensure that the laboratory is provided with adequate fire extinguishers
appropriate to the potential hazards.
b. Where inflammable liquids are used, smoking must be forbidden. Notices
should be displayed to enforce this.
c. Beware since fine powders or dust can spontaneously ignite under certain
conditions. Empty vessels having contained inflammable liquids can contain
vapour and explode if ignited.
d. Bulk quantities of inflammable liquids should be stored outside the laboratory
in accordance with local regulations.
e. Storage tanks on equipment should not be overfilled. All spillages should be
immediately cleaned up, carefully disposing of any contaminated cloths etc.
Beware of slippery floors.
f. When liquids giving off inflammable vapours are handled in the laboratory, the
area should be ventilated by an ex-proof extraction system. Vents on the
equipment should be connected to the extraction system.
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Important Safety Information
g. Students should not be allowed to prepare mixtures for analysis or other
purpose without competent supervision.
8. Handling poisons, corrosive or toxic materials
a. Certain liquids essential to the operation of equipment, for example mercury,
are poisonous or can give off poisonous vapours. Wear appropriate protective
clothing when handling such substances. Clean up any spillage immediately
and ventilate areas thoroughly using extraction equipment. Beware of slippery
floors.
b. Do not allow food to be brought into or consumed in the laboratory. Never use
chemical beakers as drinking vessels.
c. Where poisonous vapours are involved, smoking must be forbidden. Notices
should be displayed to enforce this.
d. Poisons and very toxic materials must be kept in a locked cupboard or store
and checked regularly. Use of such substances should be supervised.
e. When diluting concentrated acids and alkalis, the acid or alkali should be
added slowly to water while stirring. The reverse should never be attempted.
9. Avoiding cuts and burns
a. Take care when handling sharp edged components. Do not exert undue force
on glass or fragile items.
b. Hot surfaces cannot, in most cases, be totally shielded and can produce
severe burns even when not `visibly hot´. Use common sense and think which
parts of the equipment are likely to be hot.
10. Eye protection
a. Goggles must be worn whenever there is a risk to the eyes. Risk may arise
from powders, liquid splashes, vapours or splinters. Beware of debris from
fast moving air streams. Alkaline solutions are particularly dangerous to the
eyes.
b. Never look directly at a strong source of light such as a laser or Xenon arc
lamp. Ensure that equipment using such a source is positioned so that
passers-by cannot accidentally view the source or reflected ray.
c. Facilities for eye irrigation should always be available.
11. Ear protection
a. Ear protectors must be worn when operating noisy equipment.
12. Clothing
a. Suitable clothing should be worn in the laboratory. Loose garments can cause
serious injury if caught in rotating machinery. Ties, rings on fingers etc. should
be removed in these situations.
b. Additional protective clothing should be available for all members of staff and
students as appropriate.
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Armfield Instruction Manual
13. Guards and safety devices
a. Guards and safety devices are installed on equipment to protect the operator.
The equipment must not be operated with such devices removed.
b. Safety valves, cut-outs or other safety devices will have been set to protect
the equipment. Interference with these devices may create a potential hazard.
c. It is not possible to guard the operator against all contingencies. Use common
sense at all times when in the laboratory.
d. Before starting a rotating machine, make sure staff are aware how to stop it in
an emergency.
e. Ensure that speed control devices are always set at zero before starting
equipment.
14. First aid
a. If an accident does occur in the laboratory it is essential that first aid
equipment is available and that the supervisor knows how to use it.
b. A notice giving details of a proficient first-aider should be prominently
displayed.
c. A `short list´ of the antidotes for the chemicals used in a particular laboratory
should be prominently displayed.
The COSHH Regulations
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (1988)
The COSHH regulations impose a duty on employers to protect employees and
others from substances used at work which may be hazardous to health. The
regulations require you to make an assessment of all operations which are liable to
expose any person to hazardous solids, liquids, dusts, vapours, gases or micro-
organisms. You are also required to introduce suitable procedures for handling these
substances and keep appropriate records.
Since the equipment supplied by Armfield Limited may involve the use of substances
which can be hazardous (for example, cleaning fluids used for maintenance or
chemicals used for particular demonstrations) it is essential that the laboratory
supervisor or some other person in authority is responsible for implementing the
COSHH regulations.
Part of the above regulations is to ensure that the relevant Health and Safety Data
Sheets are available for all hazardous substances used in the laboratory. Any person
using a hazardous substance must be informed of the following:
Physical data about the substance
Any hazard from fire or explosion
Any hazard to health
Appropriate First Aid treatment
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Important Safety Information
Any hazard from reaction with other substances
How to clean/dispose of spillage
Appropriate protective measures
Appropriate storage and handling
Although these regulations may not be applicable in your country, it is strongly
recommended that a similar approach be adopted for the protection of the students
operating the equipment. Local regulations must also be considered.
Water Borne Hazards
The equipment described in this instruction manual involves the use of water, which
under certain conditions can create a health hazard due to infection by harmful
micro-organisms.
For example, the microscopic bacterium called Legionella pneumophila will feed on
any scale, rust, algae or sludge in water and will breed rapidly if the temperature of
water is between 20 and 45°C. Any water containing this bacterium which is sprayed
or splashed creating air-borne droplets can produce a form of pneumonia called
Legionnaires Disease which is potentially fatal.
Legionella is not the only harmful micro-organism which can infect water, but it
serves as a useful example of the need for cleanliness.
Under the COSHH regulations, the following precautions must be observed:
Any water contained within the product must not be allowed to stagnate, ie.
the water must be changed regularly.
Any rust, sludge, scale or algae on which micro-organisms can feed must be
removed regularly, i.e. the equipment must be cleaned regularly.
Where practicable the water should be maintained at a temperature below
20°C. If this is not practicable then the water should be disinfected if it is safe
and appropriate to do so. Note that other hazards may exist in the handling of
biocides used to disinfect the water.
A scheme should be prepared for preventing or controlling the risk
incorporating all of the actions listed above.
Further details on preventing infection are contained in the publication “The Control
of Legionellosis including Legionnaires Disease” - Health and Safety Series booklet
HS (G) 70.
Electrical Safety
The equipment described in this Instruction Manual operates from a mains voltage
electrical supply. It must be connected to a supply of the same frequency and voltage
as marked on the equipment or the mains lead. If in doubt, consult a qualified
electrician or contact Armfield.
The equipment must not be operated with any of the panels removed.
To give increased operator protection, the unit incorporates a Residual Current
Device (RCD), alternatively called an Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker, as an integral
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Armfield Instruction Manual
part of this equipment. If through misuse or accident the equipment becomes
electrically dangerous, the RCD will switch off the electrical supply and reduce the
severity of any electric shock received by an operator to a level which, under normal
circumstances, will not cause injury to that person.
At least once each month, check that the RCD is operating correctly by pressing the
TEST button. The circuit breaker MUST trip when the button is pressed. Failure to
trip means that the operator is not protected and the equipment must be checked and
repaired by a competent electrician before it is used.
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