A
centrifugal extractor—also known as a
centrifugal contactor or
annular centrifugal contactor—uses the rotation of the rotor inside a
centrifuge to mix two
immiscible liquids outside the rotor and to separate the liquids in the field of gravity inside the rotor. This way, a centrifugal extractor generates a continuous
extraction from one liquid phase (fermentation broth) into another liquid phase (organic solvent).