Examples Solid - Liquid Extraction Lecturer: Dr.

Gamse -1-

Examples Solid-Liquid Extraction

1. Rectangular Triangle Diagram

A ... inert material

B ... extractable material
C ... solvent
C

1
Y = C / (A + B + C)

D
O
ve
rf l

F
ow
(e
xt
ra
ct
)

E c

a
b
0 1
A X = B / (A + B + C) B

a ... constant underflow

b ... variable underflow
c ... constant ration solvent / inert material
DE ... connode
Examples Solid - Liquid Extraction Lecturer: Dr.Gamse -2-

2. Ponchon - Savarit Diagram

A ... inert material

B ... extractable material
C ... solvent

E a
F

b
N = A / (B + C)

D 1
0 X,Y = B / (B + C)

a ... constant underflow

b ... variable underflow
c ... constant ration solvent / inert material
DE ... connode

inert material A
N= =
extractable substance + solvent B + C
L = solution = extractable substance + solvent = B + C
N * L = amount of inert material A
L * X, L * Y = amount of extractable substance B
Examples Solid - Liquid Extraction Lecturer: Dr.Gamse -3-

Example 1: Single Step Extraction

In a single step solid-liquid extraction soybean oil has to be extracted from soybean
flakes using hexane as solvent. 100 kg of the flakes with an oil content of 20 wt% are
contacted with 100 kg fresh hexane. 1.5 kg of inert material hold back a constant
value of 1 kg solution.

Determine in the rectangular triangle diagram and in the Ponchon - Savarit diagram
the amount and composition of the flows leaving the extraction plant.

extract (overflow) solvent

V1 V2
extraction
L0 step L1
feed underflow

1. Rectangular Triangle Diagram

Total balance:
L0 + V2 = M = L1 + V1 = 100 + 100 = 200 kg

Balance for compound A:

L0 wA,L0 + V2 wA,V2 = M wA,M

with the feed concentration wA,L0 = 0.8

and the suggestion, that no solid particles are included in the overflow, so wA,V2 = 0
follows:
100 * 0.8 + 100 * 0 = 200 * wA,M
wA,M = 0.4
Examples Solid - Liquid Extraction Lecturer: Dr.Gamse -4-

Balance for compound B:

L0 wB,L0 + V2 wB,V2 = M wB,M

with the feed concentration wB,L0 = 0.2 and with the knowledge, that pure hexane is
used as solvent, wB,V2 = 0, follows

100 * 0.2 + 100 * 0 = 200 * wB,M

wB,M = 0.1

The concentration of compound C (solvent) in the mixing point M can be determined

either by a mass balance for compound C

L0 wC,L0 + V2 wC,V2 = M wC,M

with wC,L0 = 0, because no solvent is included in the feed, and with wC,V2 = 1, pure
hexane, follows

100 * 0 + 100 * 1 = 200 * wC,M

wC,M = 0.5

or by the rule, that the sum of the mass percent of each compound in the point M has
to be 1.
wA,M + wB,M + wC.M = 1
0.4 + 0.1 + wC.M = 1
wC.M = 0.5

With these concentrations the mixing point M can be drawn in the diagram, which
has to be on the connection line of feed point F and solvent C.

It is given, that 1 kg inert material retains 1.5 kg solution (extractable substance +

solvent = miscella = overflow). Therefore the concentration of the underflow is

inert material A
w A,Underflow = =
inert material + extractable substance + solvent A + B + C
1 .5
w A,Underflow = w A, L1 = = 0.6
1 .5 + 1
Examples Solid - Liquid Extraction Lecturer: Dr.Gamse -5-

The amount of the leaving flows L1 and V1 can be calculated from the mass balance
for compound A

M wA,M = V1 wA,V1 + L1 wA,L1

with wA,V1 = 0 (no solid material in the overflow) and wA,L1 = 0.6 (underflow)

w A,M 0 .4
L1 = M = 200
w A,L1 0 .6

L1 = 133.333 kg

With the total balance

M = L1 + V1
follows
V1 = M - L1 = 200 - 133.333
V1 = 66.666 kg

The concentrations of B and C in the overflow V1 are calculated with the suggestion
that no inert material A is included in the overflow.

B 20
w B, V1 = =
(A ) + B + C 0 + 20 + 100
wB,V1 = 0.1667
C 100
w C, V1 = =
(A ) + B + C 0 + 20 + 100
wC,V1 = 0,8333

The composition of the underflow can be calculated by mass balances for compound
B and C.
L1 wB,L1 + V1, wB,V1 = L0 wB,L0 + V2 wB,V2
with wB,V2 = 0
L 0 ∗ w B,Lo − V1∗ w B, V1 100 ∗ 0.2 − 66.666 ∗ 0.1667
w B,L1 = =
L1 133.333
wB,L1 = 0.067
Examples Solid - Liquid Extraction Lecturer: Dr.Gamse -6-

wA,L1 + wB,L1 + wC,L1 = 1

wC,L1 = 1 - 0.6 - 0.067
wC,L1 = 0.333

total mass [kg] wt% A wt% B wt% C

feed L0 100 80 20 0
solvent V2 100 0 0 100
overflow V1 66.666 0 16.667 83.333
underflow L1 133.333 60 6.7 33.3

2. Ponchon - Savarit Diagram

Total balance:
L0 + V2 = M = L1 + V1

L0 = B + C = 20 kg, no solvent is included in the feed material

V2 = 100 kg, pure solvent C
M = 20 + 100 = 120 kg

Compound balance:
L0 XL0 + V2 XV2 = M XM
B
XL0 = 1 = , no solvent in the feed material
C = 0
B+C
XV2 = 0, pure solvent C
20 * 1 + 100 * 0 = 120 * XM
XM = 0.1667

N0 = ?
A 80
N0 = = =4
L0 20

NM = ?
N0 * L0 = A = NM * LM
LM = B + C = 20 + 100 = 120 kg
A 80
NM = = = 0.667
LM 120
Examples Solid - Liquid Extraction Lecturer: Dr.Gamse -7-

The amount of the extract solution V1 and of the solution, retained by the solid
material, L1 can be determined by law of balance or by calculation.
M = 120 kg = L1 + V1

N1 = ?
It is given, that 1.5 kg of inert material A retains 1 kg solution B+C
1 .5

N1 = = 1.5 = underflow, which is constant
1
A = N0 * L0 = N1 * L1 = NM * M
A 80
L1 = = = 53.333 kg
L1 1 .5
V1 = M - L1 = 120 - 53.333 = 66.666 kg

L N X
feed L0 20 4 1
solvent Vn 100 0 0
overflow V1 66.666 0 0.1667
underflow Ln 53.333 1.5 0.1667
Examples Solid - Liquid Extraction Lecturer: Dr.Gamse -8-

Example 2: Continuous Countercurrent Solid - Liquid Extraction

10.000 kg of wet sugar beet chips with a composition of 28 wt% water, 32 wt% sugar
and 40 wt% inert material have to be extracted in a continuous countercurrent
extraction plant using hot water as solvent. The produced extract must contain
40 wt% sugar and the total extraction efficiency for sugar has to be 90%.
1 kg inert material retains 3 kg solution and this value is constant.

Determine in the rectangular triangle diagram and in the Ponchon - Savarit diagram
the number of ideal steps for this separation problem.

extract (overflow) solvent

V1 extraction Vn
steps
L0 1,2,..n Ln
feed underflow

1. Rectangular triangle diagram

90% sugar (B) have to be extracted and the extract solution must contain 40 wt%
sugar

V1 * xB,V1 = 0.9 * L0 * xB,L0

with xB,V1 = 0.4, L0 = 10.000 kg and xB,L0 = 0.32

0.9 * 10,000 * 0.32

V1 = = 7.200 kg
0 .4

Balance for inert material A

Ln * xA,Ln + V1 * xA,V1 = Vn * xA,Vn + L0 * xA,L0
with
A 1
xA,Ln = xA,Underflow = = = 0.25
A + B + C 1+ 3
and xA,V1 = 0 with the suggestion that no solid material is included in the overflow and
with xA,Vn = 0 because of pure solvent water C
Examples Solid - Liquid Extraction Lecturer: Dr.Gamse -9-

follows
x A,L0 0 .4
Ln = L 0 = 10,000 = 16,000 kg
x A,Ln 0.25

Balance for sugar B:

V1 * xB,V1 + Ln xB,Ln = L0 * xB,L0 + Vn * xB,Vn

with xB,Vn = 0 because the solvent is pure water C follows

L 0 * x B,L0 − V1 * x B, V1 10,000 * 0.32 − 7,200 * 0.4

xB,Ln = = = 0.02
Ln 16,000

The amount of necessary solvent water C can be calculated by a total mass balance

L0 + Vn = Ln + V1

Vn = Ln + V1 - L0 = 16,000 + 7,200 - 10,000 = 13,200 kg

total mass [kg] wt% A wt% B wt% C

feed L0 10,000 40 32 28
solvent Vn 13,200 0 0 100
overflow V1 7.200 0 40 60
underflow Ln 13.200 25 2 73

Determination of the number of ideal steps

First of all the constant underflow with xA,Ln = 0.25 and the given points L0 (xA,L0 = 0.4,
xB,L0 = 0.32, xC,L0 = 0.28), V1 (xA,V1 = 0, xB,V1 = 0.4, xC,V1 = 0.6), Vn (xC,Vn = 1) and Ln
(xA,Ln = 0.25, xB,Ln = 0.02, xC,Ln = 0.73) are drawn in the diagram.

The one pole line is the connection of V1 with L0 and the other one the connection of
Vn with Ln. Crossing these pole lines results in the pole point ∆.
Examples Solid - Liquid Extraction Lecturer: Dr.Gamse - 10 -

Construction of the connode (= connection line with point A) through V1 gives the
underflow L1 at the underflow line. Connecting L1 with the pole point ∆ give the
extract composition V2, and so on.

Finally the number of ideal steps results with Nth = 10

2. Ponchon - Savarit Diagram

Determination of the feed point
A 0. 4
N0 = = = 0.666
B + C 0.32 + 0.28
B 0.32
XL0 = = = 0.5333
B + C 0.32 + 0.28
L0 = (0.32 + 0.28) * F = (0.32 + 0.28) * 10.000 = 6,000 kg

concentration of the overflow (extract solution)

B 0 .4
XV1 = = = 0.4
B + C 0 . 4 + 0 .6

90% extraction efficiency:

V1 * XV1 = 0.9 * L0 * XL0
0 .9 * L 0 * X L 0 0.9 * 6000 * 0.533

V1 = = = 7.200 kg
X V1 0 .4

Balance for solid material:

N0 * L0 = Nn * Ln
A 1
Nn = NUnderflow = = = 0.333
B+C 3
N0 * L 0 0.666 * 6,000

Ln = = = 12.000 kg
NN 0.333

Total balance:
L0 + Vn = LM = Ln + V1

LM = 12,000 + 7,200 = 19,200 kg

Vn = 19,200 - 6,000 = 13,200 kg
Examples Solid - Liquid Extraction Lecturer: Dr.Gamse - 11 -

Balance for sugar B:

L0 * XL0 + Vn * XVn = LM * XM = V1 * XV1 + Ln * XLn

with XVn = 0 (pure solvent) follows

L 0 * XL0 − V1 * X V1 6,000 * 0.533 − 7,200 * 0.4
XLn = = = 0,0267
Ln 12,000

L N X
feed L0 6,000 0.666 0.533
solvent Vn 13,200 0 0
overflow V1 7,200 0 0.4
underflow Ln 12,000 0.333 0.0267

Determination of the ideal number of steps:

Drawing of the points L0 (NL0 = 0.666, XL0 = 0.533), V1 (NV1 = 0, XV1 = 0.4), Vn (NVn =
0, XVn = 0) and Ln (NLn = 0.333, XVn = 0.0267).

The connection of L0 and V1 gives the first pole line and connection of Ln and Vn the
second one. Crossing these two pole lines gives the pole point ∆.

The first connode is a vertical line through V1 which gives at the underflow the point
L1. Connecting this point L1 with the pole point ∆ give the next extract composition V2
and so on.

Finally the number of ideal steps results with Nth = 10