Modelling of zinc transport through a supported liquid membrane

The transport of zinc (II) from an aqueous solution containing zinc (II), iron (II), calcium (II) and magnesium (II) through supported liquid membrane using di-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid dissolved in kerosene as a mobile carrier was studied. The effects of temperature, rate of feed and stripping phase and concentration of stripping phase on the mass transfer coefficients of aqueous boundary layers and membrane were studied. A transport rate model has been derived taking into account diffusion through the feed side aqueous boundary layer, diffusion of carrier–zinc complex through the supported liquid membrane and diffusion through the stripping side aqueous boundary layer as simultaneous controlling factors. The mass transfer coefficient data of the side of the feed phase were correlated in the form of Sh = 0.0047 Re1.349 Sc0.3333. This correlation was used to calculate the mass transfer coefficient of the aqueous film at the side of the stripping phase. For some parameters and their levels, the mass transfer coefficients, kf, km and ks (m s− 1), were calculated.