Study on the extraction kinetics of phenolic compounds from petroleum refinery waste lye

A large amount of waste lye is produced in petroleum refineries during alkali cleaning process, which consists of high concentration of phenols, sulfides, oils and other pollutants. In this study, tributyl phosphate (TBP) was used as extraction agent and the extraction kinetics of phenolic compounds was investigated by the constant interfacial cell method. The effects of stirring speed, temperature and specific area on extraction rate were studied. The experimental results show that the extraction of phenols by TBP is a first-order reaction, and the extraction process may be controlled by diffusion. The effects of stirring speed and specific area on extraction rate are significant.