Solid Liquid
Extraction
also called
Leaching
Solid Liquid Extraction
Useful biological and inorganic substances in a
solid mixture.
Contacted by a liquid in order to remove the
desired component
Solute(s) diffuse from the solid to the liquid phase.
Examples
1. Sugar from beets with hot water
2. Oil from vegetables (soyabean, peanut) using
organic solvents such as acetone, hexane, ether etc.
Process Steps
i) Transfer of solvents from the bulk solution to
the surface of the solid
ii) Solvent must diffuse or penetrate into the
solid
iii) The solute then dissolves into the solvent
iv) The solute then diffused through the solvent
mixture to the surface of the particle
v) Transfer of solute to the bulk of the solution
Process Steps
In general, rate of diffusion of solute through
the solid and solvent to the surface of the
solid is often the rate controlling resistance
in the overall process.
Mass Transfer
For component A, rate of mass transfer to solution
of volume, V
𝑁𝐴 = 𝐴𝑘𝐿 (𝐶𝐴𝑆 − 𝐶𝐴 )
Material Balance
𝑑𝐶𝐴
𝑉 = 𝑁𝐴 = 𝐴𝑘𝐿 (𝐶𝐴𝑆 − 𝐶𝐴 )
𝑑𝑡
BC: 𝑡 = 0 𝐶𝐴 = 𝐶𝐴𝑜 ; 𝑡 = 𝑡 𝐶𝐴 = 𝐶𝐴
𝐶𝐴
𝑑𝐶𝐴 𝐴𝑘𝐿 𝑡
න = න 𝑑𝑡
𝐶𝐴𝑂 𝐶𝐴𝑆 − 𝐶𝐴 𝑉 0
𝐶𝐴𝑆 − 𝐶𝐴 𝑘𝐿 𝐴
− 𝑉 𝑡
=𝑒
𝐶𝐴𝑆 − 𝐶𝐴0
Calculations
Based on material and energy balances and the concept of ideal
stages.
Energy changes are very insignificant in such cases and are usually
ignored.
Process flow
Overflow solution Solvent Feed
V1, y1 V2, y2
Feed Slurry Underflow solution
L0, xo L1, x1
Flows of the underflow is denoted by L
Flows of the overflow is denoted by V
V2= rate of solvent flow to the stage
V1= flow rate of overflow stream
L0= feed rate to the stage
L1= underflow stream from the stage
Material Balances
Compositions in weight fractions are denoted
by x for underflow and y for the overflow.
Concentration of A in underflow = xA
Concentration of A in overflow = yA
Total Material Balance
𝐿0 + 𝑉2 = 𝐿1 + 𝑉1 − (1)
Component Balance on component A
𝐿0 (𝑥𝐴 )0 +𝑉2 (𝑦𝐴 )2 = 𝐿1 𝑥𝐴 1 + 𝑉1 𝑦𝐴 1 − (2)
Material Balance
Component Balance on S
𝐿0 (𝑥𝑠 )0 +𝑉2 (𝑦𝑠 )2 = 𝐿1 𝑥𝑠 1 + 𝑉1 𝑦𝑠 1 − (3)
The component balance on B is not an independent
equation since
𝒙𝑨 + 𝒙𝑩 + 𝒙𝑺 = 𝟏
Or
𝒙𝑩 = 𝟏 − 𝒙𝑨 − 𝒙𝑺
Triangular Diagram
Any point inside the diagram represents a mixture of
all 3 components.
Let the compositions corresponding to this point be
(xA,xB,xS)
𝑥𝐴 + 𝑥𝐵 + 𝑥𝑆 = 1
𝑥𝐵 = 1 − 𝑥𝐴 − 𝑥𝑆
Triangular Diagram
The composition of B is not independent but is completely
defined if XA and XS are specified.
Any point may be located by plotting the coordinates XA
and XS only.
Note: The origin represents the inert solid.
Lines parallel to the hypotenuse are lines of constant inert
solid composition.
𝑥𝐵 = 𝐶
𝑥𝐴 + 𝑥𝑆 = 𝐷 =constant
𝑥𝐵 = 1 − 𝑥𝐴 − 𝑥𝑆 = 𝐶
Mixing Two streams
Consider the mixing of 2 streams P and Q to make a stream N.
Let P be an overflow and Q underflow.
P, Q and N must lie on the same straight line
𝑃𝑁
= ratio of amount of stream Q to the amount of stream P.
𝑁𝑄
Illustration
Graphic Solution
Overall material Balance
𝐿0 + 𝑉2 = 𝐿1 + 𝑉1
Component Balance on component A
𝐿0 (𝑥𝐴 )0 +𝑉2 (𝑦𝐴 )2 = 𝐿1 𝑥𝐴 1 + 𝑉1 𝑦𝐴 1
Component Balance on S
𝐿0 (𝑥𝑠 )0 +𝑉2 (𝑦𝑠 )2 = 𝐿1 𝑥𝑠 1 + 𝑉1 𝑦𝑠 1
In general;
𝐿0 𝑥0 + 𝑉2 𝑦2 = 𝐿1 𝑥1 + 𝑉1 𝑦1
Graphic Solution
On a triangular diagram, point y1 refers to the point whose
coordinates are (𝑦𝐴 )1 , (𝑦𝑆 )1 and x0 refers to (𝑥𝐴 )0 , (𝑥𝑆 )0 .
Consider an expanded triangular diagram of a single
stage extraction
Suppose the feed material (𝐿0 ) is a mixture of A and B
containing 0.30 weight fraction A
Illustration
Graphic Solution
The composition of this stream is shown as 𝑥0 on the
diagram.
If the solvent 𝑉2 is pure component S, its composition will
be represented by 𝑦2
𝐿𝑒𝑡 𝑀 = 𝐿0 + 𝑉2 = 𝐿1 + 𝑉1
𝑀(𝑥𝐴 )𝑀 = 𝐿0 (𝑥𝐴 )0 + 𝑉2 (𝑦𝐴 )2 = 𝐿1 𝑥𝐴 1 + 𝑉1 𝑦𝐴 1
𝑀(𝑥𝑠 )𝑀 = 𝐿0 (𝑥𝑠 )0 + 𝑉2 (𝑦𝑠 )2 = 𝐿1 𝑥𝑠 1 + 𝑉1 𝑦𝑠 1
The point M must lie on the line joining 𝑥0 and 𝑦2 .
Graphic Solution
Assume also that 3kg of solvent (𝑉2 ) are used
per kg of feed (𝐿0 ).
M must lie on the line through points 𝑥0 and
𝑦2 at such a location that
(𝑥𝐴 )𝑀 −(𝑥𝐴 )0 (𝑥𝑠 )𝑀 −(𝑥𝑠 )0
=
(𝑦𝐴 )2 − (𝑥𝐴 )𝑀 (𝑦𝑠 )2 − (𝑥𝑠 )𝑀
Graphic Solution
Again 𝑥𝑀 must also lie on the line joining points 𝑥1 and 𝑦1 .
On an ideal stage, whatever solution is retained with the solid has
same composition 𝑦1 as the overflow solution.
Assuming that component A is completely dissolved and the
resulting solution is not saturated.
The underflow stream 𝐿1 may be considered to consist of a mixture
of undissolved solid (B) represented by the origin and a solution of
composition (𝑦𝐴 )1 , (𝑦𝑠 )1 .
Graphic Solution
The point 𝑥1 must therefore lie on a straight line
through the origin and the point 𝑦1 .
The points 𝑥1 , 𝑦1 and 𝑥𝑀 must lie on a straight line.
Assuming no solid (B) is entrained by the overflow
stream, the overflow composition follows the
hypotenuse of the triangle 𝑦1 can thus be located.
Location of 𝒙𝟏
It is necessary to know how much solution is retained per kg
of undissolved solids in the underflows.
Let q kg of solution be retained per kg of inert solid.
Total inert solid in underflow stream = 𝐿𝑥𝐵
Solution retained in L = L(1 − 𝑥𝐵 )
𝐿(1 − 𝑥𝐵 ) 1 − 𝑥𝐵
𝑞= =
𝐿𝑥𝐵 𝑥𝐵
OR
1
𝑥𝐵 = = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
1+𝑞
Location of 𝒙𝟏
Assume q is 1.5.
1
𝑥𝐵𝑖 = = 0.4
1 + 1.5
The underflow composition containing this ratio of
solids is a straight line parallel to the hypotenuse.
Location of 𝒙𝟏
On the vertical axis, 𝑥𝐴 = 0
⟹ 𝑥𝐵 + 𝑥𝑆 = 1
1 𝑞 1.5
⟹ 𝑥𝑆 = 1 − 𝑥𝐵 = 1 − = = = 0.6
1 + 𝑞 𝑞 + 1 2.5
The point X must lie on this line.
In the general case, the amount of solution retained per kg
of dissolved solids varies and as a function of the solution
composition.
Experimental data on the system is therefore needed and
the locus is mostly then a curve not a straight line.
Example
The following data is given for the extraction of oil
from a meal by means of a benzene at a given temperature
Solution yA,
composition kg oil/kg soln 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
Solution kg soln/kg
0.500 0.505 0.515 0.530 0.550 0.571 0.595 0.620
retained oil-free meal
Consider the solution of composition 0.1kg oil per kg of solution.
Assume that all the oil is dissolved in the solvent, the underflow
stream contains 0.505 kg of solution per kg of oil free meal
𝑘𝑔 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑥𝐴 − 0 𝑥𝑆 − 0
= =
𝑘𝑔 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 𝑦𝐴 − 0 𝑦𝑆 − 0
Solving for 𝑥𝐴 or 𝑥𝑆 ,
Solution
Solving for 𝑥𝐴 or 𝑥𝑆 ,
0.505 𝑥𝑆
= ⇒ 𝑥𝑆 = 0.302
1.505 0.9
0.505 𝑥𝐴
= ⟹ 𝑥𝐴 = 0.0336
1.505 0.1