CHAPTER 4 : LEACHING

INTRODUCTION

When two phases (solid

and liquid phase) are in
intimate contact and the
solute or solutes can diffuse
from the solid to the liquid
phase, it will separate the This separation
components originally in the process is called:
solid.
liquid-solid leaching or
Leaching or extraction

Define washing
 LEACHING PROCESS
DESCRIPTION
• PROCESS TO CONTACT A SOLID WITH A LIQUID
PHASE.
• SIMILAR TO EXTRACTION BECAUSE OF TWO
IMMISCIBLE PHASES
• SIMILAR TO ABSORPTION BECAUSE TWO PHASES
ARE NORMALLY PRESENT
• DISSIMILAR TO OTHER SEPARATION PROCESS
BECAUSE ONLY EQUILIBRIUM IN LIQUID PHASES IS
CONSIDERED
 Leaching
process
Biological and Inorganic and
food organic
processing materials

Examples:
Leaching of sugar from
sugar beets
Production of vegetable oils Examples:
from peanuts, soybeans, Metal processing
sunflower seeds. industries
Pharmaceuticals product by Gold is leached from its
leaching from roots, leaves ore using an aqueous
and stems. sodium cyanide solution
Production of soluble instant
coffee, soluble tea
 Fixed-bed leaching
T =344 K to 350 K
hot water—+- — movable cover

sugar beet
slices (cossettes)

movable bottom
sugar solution=-

FIGURE 12.8-1. X ypical fixed-bed apparatus for sugnr beet leaching.

LEACHING PRINCIPLES
 EQUILIBRIUM AND SINGLE STAGE
LEACHING
1. State the components involved in leaching.
2. When is equilibrium reached in leaching?
3. State all the assumptions made for
leaching process?
4. Explain underflow and overflow.
5. Describe equilibrium line in leaching.
6. List factors affecting stage calculations
 LEACHING EQUILIBRIUM
• SOLVENT FORMS A LIQUID SOLUTION -
CARRIER MAY BE TOTALLY
IMMISCIBLE
• SOME SOLUTION IS NORMALLY
RETAINED BY THE SOLID - HAS THE SAME
COMPOSITION AS THE LIQUID SOLUTION.
• WHEN THE AMOUNT OF RETAINED
SOLUTION IS CONSTANT THE SYSTEM
HAS CONSTANT SOLUTION UNDERFLOW.
• VARIABLE UNDERFLOW EXISTS WHEN
THE AMOUNT RETAINED IS A FUNCTION
OF CONCENTRATION
 TYPICAL EQUILIBRIUM
DIAGRAM
• NOTE THE SOLID PHASE IS
REPRESENTED BY THE UPPER LINE
• SOLUTION EQUILIBRIUM ON McCABE
IS x = y LINE FOR THIS SITUATION
SOLID PHASE

Y=B/(A+C)

LIQUID PHASE

0 1
xA, yA
 SINGLE STAGE LEACHING

• MODELED LIKE A SINGLE STAGE LLX

xb,Lb xa,La

Y=B/(A+C)

yb,Vb
0 ya,Va 1
xA, yA
 MULTIPLE CROSS
CURRENT
LEACHING
• MODEL IS BASED ON AMOUNT IN
EACH PHASE
(xb,Lb)1 = (xa, La)2 xa,La
(xb,Lb)2

Y=B/(A+C)
M2

M1
yb,Vb
0 (ya,Va)1 1
(ya,Va)2 xA, yA
MULTIPLE CROSS CURRENT
LEACHING EXAMPLE
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196547.JPG
 MULTISTAGE
COUNTERCURRENT LEACHING
• RESULTS FOR
DESIGN ARE SIMILAR
TO SHOWN IN FIG.
12.10-2
• FOR SYSTEM WITH
CONSTANT L/V RATIO,
THE APPROACH IS TO
MODEL USING
ABSORPTION
FACTORS FOR ALL
STAGES AFTER THE
FIRST MIX
 MULTISTAGE
COUNTERCURRENT
LEACHING CONFIGURATION

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 Multi – stage counter current Leaching

Process flow

Overflow solution Solvent Feed

V1, x1 VN+1, xN+1
Feed Slurry Underflow solution
L0, N0, y0, LN, NN, yN, B
B
V Mass of overflow solution xA Composition of A at overflow solution
L Mass of liquid in slurry solution yA Composition of A at slurry solution
B Mass of dry, solute – free solid.
 Multi – stage counter current Leaching
The ideal stages are numbered in the direction of the solids or underflow
stream.

The ideal stages are numbered in the direction of the solids or underflow
stream.

The solvent (C) – solute (A) phase or V phase is the liquid phase that
overflows continuously from stage to stage countercurrently to the solid
phase, and it dissolves solute as it moves along.

The slurry phase L composed of inert solid (B) and liquid phase of A and C is
the continuous underflow from each stage.

Composition of V – denoted by x

Composition of L – denoted by y

Assumption: The solid B is insoluble and is not lost in the liquid V phase.

The flow rate of solid is constant throughout the process

Multi – stage counter current Leaching

L0  VN 1 
LN  V1  Total solution balance
M

L0 yA0  VN 1 xAN 1  LN yAN  V1 xA1 

Comp. A balance
MxAM

B  N 0 L0
 N N LN  N M M Solid balance
 Multi – stage counter current Leaching

Example 2
A continuous countercurrent multistage system is to be used to leach oil from
meal by benzene solvent (B3).

The process is to treat 2000 kg/h of inert solid meal (B) containing 800 kg oil
(A) and also 50 kg benzene (C).

The inlet flow per hour of fresh solvent mixture contains 1310 kg benzene and
20 kg oil. The leached solids are to contain 120 kg oil.

Data (B3) are tabulated below as N kg inert solid B/kg solution and yA kg oil
A/kg solution

Calculate the amounts and concentrations of the stream leaving the process
and the number of stages required.
 Multi – stage counter current Leaching

Solution 2

Overflow solution Solvent Feed

V1, x1 VN+1, xN+1
Feed Slurry Underflow solution
L0, N0, y0, LN, NN, yN, B
B

Information given:

Feed slurry (L0):

A = 800 kg/h B = 2000 kg/h C = 50 kg/h

Entering solvent (VN+1 )

A = 20 kg/h B = 0 kg/h C = 1310 kg/h

 Multi – stage counter current Leaching

Solution 2

Overflow solution Solvent Feed

V1, x1 VN+1, xN+1
Feed Slurry Underflow solution
L0, N0, y0, LN, NN, yN, B
B

Information given:

Underflow solution (LN):

A =120 kg/h B = 2000 kg/h C = ?? kg/h

 Multi – stage counter current Leaching

Solution 2

Find coordinate at L0.

Mass of A = 800 kg/h

Mass of B = 2000 kg/h

Mass of C = 50 kg/h

yA0  A A 800 800

0  A   800   850  0.94
L
C 50

N0  B B 2000 2000
0   800  50  850  2.35
L A
C

Coordinate for L0 (yA0 , N0) = (0.94 , 2.35)

 Multi – stage counter current Leaching

Solution 2

Find coordinate at VN+1.

Mass of A = 20 kg/h

Mass of B = 0 kg/h

Mass of C = 1310 kg/h

xN 1 A A
  20 20  0.015
VN 1 A  
20 1310 1330
C

N N 1 B B  0
  0
VN 1 A 20 1310
C

Coordinate for VN+(1xN+1 , NN+1) = (0.015 , 0)

 Multi – stage counter current Leaching

Solution 2

Find coordinate at LN.

Mass of A = 120 kg/h

Mass of B = 2000 kg/h

Mass of C = ?? kg/h
NN
Slope of graph,
yN
B
NN LN B 2000  16.67
  N  16.67 y
 
yN A A 120
LN

If x = 0.1, N = 16.67 x 0.1 = 1.67

Plot New Coordinate(x , N) = (0.1 , 1.67)

 Multi – stage counter current Leaching

Solution 2

3
2 LN
1 L0

0
V
-0.4 -0.2 -1 0 N 1 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
-2
N

-3
-4
-5
-6

-7
x A, y A
 Multi – stage counter current Leaching

Solution 2

From material balance calculations:

Total solution balance:

L0  VN 1  LN  V1  M
L0  VN 1  M
850 1330  M M  2180 kg

Component A balance:
L0 yA0  V x
N 1 N  MxAM
1

8500.94 13300.015  2180xAM

xAM  0.376
 Multi – stage counter current Leaching

Solution 2

From material balance calculations:

Solid balance:
B  N 0 L0  N L  N M
N N M

N 0 L0  N M M
2.35850 N M 2180 N M  0.916


Coordinate for M (xM , NM) = (0.376 , 0.916)

Plot coordinate M in the graph.

Construct line from point LN to point M until it cross at x – axis. Point at

x – axis = V1
 Multi – stage counter current Leaching

3
L
2
L
1 M

0 V
VN 1
-0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
-1
N

-2
-3
-4

-5
-6
-7
From figure, x A, y A

Coordinate for V1 (x1 , N1) = (0.592 , 0)

Coordinate for LN (y1 , N1) = (0.12 , 2.0)
 Multi – stage counter current Leaching

Solution 2

From material balance calculations:

Total solution balance:

V1  2180 
LN  Eq.1

Component A balance:
LN yN  V1 x1  MxAM
LN 0.12 V1 0.592  21800.376

Insert Eq.1into equation above

LN 0.12 2180  LN 0.592  21800.376
0.12LN 1290.56  0.592LN  819.68
0.472LN  470.88  LN  997.62kg
 Multi – stage counter current Leaching

Solution 2

From material balance calculations:

Total solution balance:

V1  2180  LN
Eq.1

V1  2180  997.62

V1  1182.38 kg

Construct operating point:

Connect L0 with V1 & LN with VN+1. The cross line – operating

point.
Total stages: 4 stages
Point Δ is located
graphically as the
intersection of lines L0V1
and LNVN+1

To determine number of
stages
–Locate L0
–Draw line L0Δ to locate V1
–A tie line through V1
locates L1
–Line L1Δ is drawn given V2
–A tie line gives L2
–This is continued until the
desired LN is reached
 Multi – stage counter current Leaching

Solution 2
Construct the stages:

3
LN L3
2 L2 L1 L0
1 M

0 V1
VN 1
-0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
-1
N

-2
-3
-4

-5
P -6
-7
x A, y A
MULTISTAGE COUNTERCURRENT LEACHING
MODEL

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LEACHING
LIQUID-SOLID LEACHING
Moving-bed leaching
 Exercise: Explain the process of
leaching in Agitated solid leaching
Single stage leaching
SOLID FEED, L0 LEACHED SOLID, L1
B = SOLID B = SOLID
N0, yA0 N1, yA1

SOLVENT FEED EXTRACT

V2, xA2 V1, xA1

L0  V 2  L1  V 1  M (12.9  4)
y A0L0  xA2V2  y A1L1  x A1V1  xAM M(12.9  5)
B  N0L0  N1L1  NMM(12.9  6)
 V1, x1 V2, x2

slurry slurry
Lo, No, yo, B L1, N1, y1, B

Figure 1 Process flow diagram for single stage extraction

Graphical solution
Equilibrium line indicates
the solute concentration in
the solvent is the same in
both the solid underflow
and liquid overflow.

B B
NM 
L0  V2 M
 L0 y A0  V2 xA2
x AM
L0  V2
For feed with no solvent
• CONCENTRATION IN SOLID IS yA0 = 1
 V 1 , x1 V 2 , x2

slurry slurry
Example 1 Lo, No, yo, B L1, N1, y1, B

In a single-stage leaching of soybean oil from

flaked soybeans with hexane, 100 kg of soybeans
containing 20 wt% oil is leached with 100 kg of
fresh hexane solvent. The value of N for the slurry
underflow is essentially constant at 1.5 kg
insoluble solid/kg solution retained. Calculate the
amounts and compositions of the overflow V1 and
the underflow slurry L1 leaving the stage.
Solution
Given:
V2 = 100 kg
xA2 = 0
xC2 = 1
B = 100 (1.0 – 0.2) = 80 kg insoluble solid
L0 = 100 (1.0 – 0.8) = 20 kg A
N0 = 80/20 = 4 kg solid/kg solution
yA0 = 1
Find point M from MB
L0 + V2 = 20 + 100 = 120 kg = M eq(1)
L0yA0 + V2xA2 = 20 (1.0) + 100 (0) = 120 xAM eq(2)

Solving simultaneously eq 1 and 2, xAM = 0.167

B = N0L0 = 4.0(20) = 80
= NM(120)

So, NM = 0.667
The coordinates for the points:
Lo = (y0,N0)
L1 = (y1,N1)
V1 = (x1,0)
V2 = (x2,0)
M = (xM,NM)

L0 = (1,4)
L1 = (read from graph,1.5)
V1 = (read from graph,0)
V2 = (0,0)
M = (0.167, 0.667)

Please take note:

1. L1MV1 and L0MV2 must lie on a straight line
2. L1 and V1 must lie on a vertical line.
3. Point M is the intersection of the two lines.
NOW CHECK UNDERSTANDING…..
1. State the components involved in leaching.
🞄 Solute (A), Inert/Leached Solid (B) and Solvent (C)
2. Describe about inert materials in leaching.
🞄 The inert or insoluble solute B in the slurry is denote with N. Is kg B over total
kg A plus C
3. State condition when the equilibrium is reached in leaching?
🞄 When the solute is dissolved in the liquid.
4. State all the assumptions made for leaching process?
🞄 Solute-free solid is insoluble in the solvent
🞄 Sufficient solvent is present
🞄 No adsorption of the solute by the solid in the leaching
5. Explain underflow and overflow.
🞄 Underflow-A slurry stream/solid stream
🞄 Overflow – Liquid steam/solvent stream
6. List factors affecting stage calculations
🞄 Concentrations of the solute in the solution
🞄 The retention time
🞄 Temperature of process
 Countercurrent multistage leaching

Overall balance: Vn+1 + L0 = V1 + Ln

Component balance on solute A: Vn+1 xn+1 + L0y0 = V1x1 + Lnyn
i) Variable Underflow in Countercurrent Multistage Leaching

Overall balance:

VN+1 + L0 = V1 + LN = M

Component balance on A:
VN+1 xAN+1 + L0yA0 = V1xA1 + LNyAN = MxAM

Total solids balance on B:

B = N0L0 = NNLN = NMM
Coordinate M =(xAM , NM)
Remember:

• L0MVN+1 must lie on a straight line

• V1MLN must also lie on a straight line

A balance on solute A gives:

A balance on solids gives:

Coordinate operating
point Δ = (xAΔ , NΔ)
Point Δ is located
graphically as the
intersection of lines L0V1
and LNVN+1

To determine number of
stages
▫ Locate L0
▫ Draw line L0Δ to locate V1
▫ A tie line through V1
locates L1
▫ Line L1Δ is drawn given V2
▫ A tie line gives L2
▫ This is continued until the
desired LN is reached