2 Thermal process engineering
Extraction
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Basic knowledge Basic knowledge
Liquid-liquid extraction Solid-liquid extraction
In the simplest case, three components solvent. After settling, two phases are An everyday example is the preparation In reality, the solid carrier phase will
are involved: obtained: the solvent with the dissolved of coffee. Here, water (solvent) is used still contain some transition compo-
Liquid-liquid extraction involves transition component (extract) and the Solid-liquid extraction allows to remove the coffee flavours (transi- nent after completion of the extraction.
using a liquid solvent to remove • transition component soluble components to be
carrier liquid. The requirement for this is tion component) from the coffee pow- In addition, some of the solvent will still
a liquid component from a liquid • solvent that the solubility of the transition com- removed from solids using a der (extraction material, consisting of be adsorptively bonded to the solid
mixture. The component dis- ponent in the solvent is higher than in the solvent. Applications of this unit solid carrier phase and transition com- carrier phase.
solves preferably in the solvent. • carrier liquid operation include obtaining oil
carrier liquid. In turn, the carrier liquid ponent). Ideally, this results in drinkable
Applications of this process The transition component is combined should be almost insoluble in the solvent. from oil seeds or leaching of coffee (solvent with dissolved flavours),
include removal of vitamins from with the carrier liquid as the initial mix- metal salts from ores. with the completely depleted coffee
aqueous solutions and a romatic ture (feed). If the initial mixture and the grounds (solid carrier phase) remaining
compounds from crude oil solvent are mixed together, the transi- in the coffee filter.
fractions. tion component is transferred into the
extract
2
initial mixture
Schematic extraction – before extraction (left) and after extraction (right):
Liquid-liquid extraction (ideal case):
1 solvent, 2 extraction material (solid carrier phase with transition component), 3 transition component, 4 depleted solid carrier phase,
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A transition component !(
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B solvent !(
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C carrier liquid 5 solvent with dissolved transition component
The example illustration assumes an This means that the actual separation the form of rectification, in which the To achieve the fastest and most complete In the simplest form of this unit opera- The solvent is normally regenerated using
ideal situation in which the transition process results in two phases after set- solvent is separated from the transition solid extraction possible, the solvent tion, the extraction material and the evaporation/distillation. The solvent is
component A is completely taken up by tling: component. The solvent can be recircu- must be provided with large exchange solvent are mixed well. The solvent and evaporated and a concentrated extract
the solvent. In reality, residual transition lated and is then available for the extrac- surfaces and short diffusion paths. This the dissolved transition component are solution is left behind as the product. The
• Extract phase (mainly A and B, with
component always remains in the car- tion again. can be done by pulverising the solid to be then removed and regenerated. solvent is condensed and can then be
residue of C)
rier liquid. In addition, complete insolubil- extracted. However, an excessively small reused.
The extraction material can also take
ity of the carrier liquid in the solvent is • Raffinate phase (mainly C, with grain size can cause agglutination and
the form of a fixed bed with the solvent
assumed. In practice, parts of one sub- residue of A and B) make it more difficult for the solvent to
flowing through it. In a further form of the
stance will always be found in the other. permeate.
To obtain the purest possible transition application, the extraction material is led
component, the extraction is normally through the solvent.
followed by a separating stage that takes
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