Chemical Engineering Science 61 (2006) 3268 – 3277

www.elsevier.com/locate/ces

Fourier series solution for multistage countercurrent cake washing and

segregated wash effluent circulation
Pekka Tervola ∗
Andritz Oy, Tammasaarenkatu 1, FIN-00180 Helsinki, Finland

Received 9 May 2005; received in revised form 7 December 2005; accepted 7 December 2005
Available online 26 January 2006

Abstract
A Fourier series solution method was developed for solving a multistage countercurrent cake washing problem, so that the solute concentration
gradient inside a cake between washing stages was preserved. The cake washing process was described by the advection–dispersion equation.
The solution method was employed to explore the multistage countercurrent cake washing in a segregated and a non-segregated wash effluent
circulation. The segregated wash effluent circulation gave better solute recovery than the non-segregated wash effluent circulation especially
when the wash ratio was around one.
䉷 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Moving bed; Packed bed; Porous media; Transport process; Separation; Filter cake washing

1. Introduction process is challenging. As the cake travels without reslurrying

Washing of filter cakes is a common operation used indus-
trially during the recovery of both solid and liquid products as
well as chemicals. Ensuring product quality, minimizing wash-
ing liquid quantity and maximizing productivity are concerns
in the process industry, particularly when these significantly
affect the plant water balance or when energy is consumed in
either wash liquid generation or increasing the solute concen-
tration of wash effluent. One commonly applied technique is
multistage countercurrent washing. In this technique the wash
liquid and solid flow in opposite directions. The cleanest wash
liquid is used to wash the cleanest solid in the final stage. The
wash effluent from each stage is used as wash liquid in its pre-
ceding stage. A schematic diagram of a flow pattern during
three-stage countercurrent cake washing is illustrated in Fig. 1.
Simulation of the countercurrent washing system has been
studied and applied extensively with reslurrying or mixing be-
tween the stages (Crotogino et al., 1987; Edwards et al., 1976;
Tomiak, 1979a; Wakeman and Tarleton, 1999). Mathemati-
cal treatment of the multistage countercurrent cake washing
∗ Tel.: +358 40 860 5160; fax: +358 20 450 5109.
E-mail address: Pekka.Tervola@andritz.com.
0009-2509/$ - see front matter 䉷 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.ces.2005.12.010
and is washed with progressively cleaner wash liquid, it devel-
ops a concentration profile or gradient that varies from stage to
stage. Thus, different recoveries are obtained at different stages.
Tomiak (1979b) developed a method for predicting the perfor-
mance of a belt filter, where calculated or measured wash loss
as a function of the wash ratio curve for simple batch cake
washing with solute-free wash liquid must be known for a given
filter cake. The method is based on the material balance equa-
tions for an individual stage: a fraction of the original liquid
which is left in the average cake discharges from the stage and
each wash liquid addition makes a contribution to the average
overall cake concentration in the subsequent stages. The same
sort of approach is to use a solute material balance equation and
give a performance parameter for each stage, for instance the
fraction of recoverable solute removed from the cake in each
stage (Haywood, 1995; Wakeman and Tarleton, 1999).
Other models are based on the theories developed by Tomiak
(1973) in which the cake was represented with a number of per-
fectly mixing cells in series. In multistage countercurrent cake
washing, mixing cells create an array. The wash effluent from
the current stage to the previous stage circulates countercur-
rently. The number of the mixing cells in the stage controls the
washing efficiency for the stage. Ala-Kaila (1997) and Bilmez
et al. (2000) applied a similar approach.
 P. Tervola / Chemical Engineering Science 61 (2006) 3268 – 3277
Incoming wash liquid
Cake
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
in
Leaving wash effluent
Fig. 1. A schematic flow diagram of the non-segregated three-stage counter-
currect cake washing (ns = 3, nf = 1).
Among mathematical models for cake washing, perhaps the
most accepted one is the advection–dispersion model presented
by Brenner (1962). Practical applications of the model have
been demonstrated with experimental data for different types of
suspensions including fibre pulps, lime mud, clays, fine chem-
icals and precipitates. A Fourier series method and a modified
asymptotic formula based on the Laplace transform were used
for the one-stage cake-washing problem (Brenner, 1962). The
solution method for the one-stage cake washing is also applied
for the multistage countercurrent cake washing. In each wash-
ing stage one gets the average solute concentrations in the cake
and in the wash effluent. The solute concentration in the cake,
when the cake enters to the stage, is the constant average solute
concentration in the cake after the previous stage. An iterative
solution method is used for solving countercurrent wash efflu-
ent circulation so that the solute material balance in each stage
and whole washing system is satisfied (Wakeman and Tarleton,
1999). The solute concentration profile inside the cake at the
interface of the two stages vanishes, since the average solute
concentration in the cake after the stage is used in the following
stage.
In this paper, the Fourier series method is further developed to
solve the problem of the multistage countercurrent cake wash-
ing so that the solute concentration profile between stages is
preserved. The solution method, which represents an extension
of similar type of research dated back to sixties, is novel for
the multistage countercurrent cake washing. In the calculation
examples, the method is used to explore the segregated and
the non-segregated wash effluent circulation inside the multi-
stage countercurrent cake washing. The segregated wash efflu-
ent circulation is applied in chemical pulping industry and is
attractive option to improve the solute recovery (Qvintus and
Tervola, 1996).
The paper is organized as follows: Section 2 introduces the
advection–dispersion equation for cake washing and the Fourier
series solution for the multistage countercurrent cake washing
is constructed. The calculation steps are described in Section 3
and examples are given in Section 4. Results and conclusions
are presented in Sections 5 and 6.
3269
2. Mathematical formulation
2.1. Model equation
We are interested in the multistage countercurrent cake wash-
Cake ing where no reslurrying or mixing exists between the washing
stages. Suppose that the saturated cake moves with a fixed ve-
out
locity due to the movement of a belt. The total length of the
cake is L, which is divided into ns washing stages and each
stage is divided into nf sectors. The distinct points xi,j (i =
1, 2, 3, . . . , ns , j = 0, 1, 2, . . . , nf ) divide the cake into sec-
tors. At the interface of stages i and i + 1 holds xi+1,0 = xi,nf ,
i = 1, 2, 3, . . . , ns − 1. A schematic drawing of a two-stage
(ns = 2) cake washing with three segregated wash effluents
(sectors) from the stage (nf = 3) is demonstrated in Fig. 2. For
the sake of simplicity, the model is confined in two-dimensions
where the solute concentration does not vary in the lateral di-
rection. The clean wash liquid is applied in the three last sectors
i.e., in the second stage. The wash effluent from the first sector
of the second stage is pumped into the first sector of the first
stage and the wash effluent from the second sector of the sec-
ond stage is pumped to the second sector of the first stage and
so on. The velocity of the cake is vx in x-direction and the in-
terstitial velocity of the wash liquid is vz(i,j ) in z-direction. The
advection–dispersion equation for describing the cake washing
in ith stage and jth sector is given as
j2 ci,j j2 ci,j jci,j
− Dx(i,j ) − D z(i,j ) + vx + vz(i,j )
jx 2 jz2 jx
jci,j
× = 0, (1)
jz
where z is the thickness coordinate, x is length coordinate, ci,j
is the solute concentration, Dx(i,j ) and Dz(i,j ) are the hydro-
dynamic dispersion coefficients in different directions. Eq. (1)
describes the process of cake washing with packing where no
significant amount of solutes can be released or taken up from
the wash liquid compared to that removed by washing. For ex-
ample, in washing of kraft pulp fiber in a bleach plant sodium,
magnesium, calcium in the wash liquid can be adsorbed to the
fiber or released from the fiber to the flowing wash liquid in-
side the cake due to the ion exchange mechanisms of the fiber
(Räsänen et al., 2000). In such cases, the solute looks like
“appearing” and “disappearing” during cake washing, when
only Eq. (1) is applied.
The boundary condition in the wash liquid injection side of
the cake reads
jci,j
− Dz(i,j ) + vz(i,j ) ci,j = vz(i,j ) cw(i,j ) ,
jz
z = 0, xi,j −1 < x < xi,j (2)
and in the wash effluent removal side of the cake
jci,j
= 0, z = H, xi,j −1 < x
xi,j , (3)
jz
where cw(i,j ) denotes the solute concentration in the wash liq-
uid in ith stage and jth sector and H is the thickness of the
3270 P. Tervola / Chemical Engineering Science 61 (2006) 3268 – 3277

cw(2,1) cw(2,2) cw(2,3)

cw(1,1) cw(1,2) cw(1,3)

x2,0 L
x1,0 x1,1 x1,2 x1,3 x2,1 x2,2 x2,3 x
c0 vz(1,1) vz(1,2) v z(1,3) vz(2,1) vz(2,2) vz(2,3) cc(2,3)
cc(1,1) cc(1,2) cc(1,3) cc(2,1) cc(2,2) vx
vx
H

cf(2,1) cf(2,2) cf(2,3)

cf(1,1) cf(1,2) cf(1,3)

Fig. 2. Description of the cake, notation and flows in a two-stage (ns = 2) countercurrent cake washing, when the wash effluent from the stages is divided
into three parts (nf = 3).

cake. In the boundary condition (2), the solute cannot vanish sectors i.e.,
into the incoming wash liquid. At first glance, the assumption ⎧
⎪ c0 , i = 1, j = 1,
of the solute concentration continuity at the exit boundary con- ⎪
⎪
dition (3) seems inconsistent with the boundary condition (2), ⎨ ci−1,nf (wi−1,nf , z∗ ), i = 2, 3, 4, . . . , ns ,
∗
ci,j (0, z ) = j = 1,
where the solute concentration is discontinuous. Predicted con- ⎪
⎪ ∗
centrations at the exit boundary yielded physically acceptable ⎪ c
⎩ i,j −1 (wi,j −1 , z ), i = 1, 2, 3, . . . , ns ,
estimate of the solute concentration in the wash effluent. The j = 2, 3, 4, . . . , nf ,
advantage of applying boundary condition (3) is the solute mass (7)
balance standpoint, since there is no flux of the solute caused where c0 is the solute concentration in the unwashed cake and
by dispersion (Parker and van Genuchten, 1984). 0
z∗
1. Furthermore, let us assume that the wash effluents
Applying the dimensionless variables are circulated countercurrently as

z vz(i,j ) (x − xi,j −1 ) cw(i−1,j ) = cf (i,j ) , i = 2, 3, 4, . . . , ns ,

z∗ = , x∗ = (4) j = 1, 2, 3, . . . , nf , (8)
H vx H
where cf (i,j ) is the average solute concentration in the wash
allows Eq. (1) to be rewritten as
effluent in ith stage and jth sector. There is no leaking between

 the sectors in either the wash liquid side or the wash effluent
1 Dx(i,j ) vz(i,j ) 2 j2 ci,j 1 j2 ci,j side. The given solute concentrations in the wash liquids are
− −
4P Dz(i,j ) vx jx ∗2 4P jz∗2 cw(ns ,j ) , j = 1, 2, 3, . . . , nf . The cake is most contaminated in
jci,j jci,j the first stage and the least contaminated in the last stage. The
+ ∗
+ = 0, (5) wash effluents get more contaminated from the last stage to
jx jz∗
the first stage. Dividing the stage into more than one sector
with the circulation arrangement of Eq. (8) is an extensive
where P = vz(i,j ) H /4Dz(i,j ) is the Peclet-number. Let us con-
application of the countercurrent washing principle. The most
centrate on an important practical case where (vz(i,j ) /vx )2 >1. contaminated wash effluent portion from the stage is used to
Hence, the first term in the left-hand side of Eq. (5) is negli- wash the most contaminated cake in the previous stage and the
gible. Eq. (5) is rewritten as least contaminated wash effluent portion from the stage is used
to wash the least contaminated cake in the previous stage.
1 j2 ci,j jci,j jci,j
− ∗2
+ ∗
+ = 0, 0 < x ∗ < wi,j ,
4P jz jx jz∗ 2.2. Model solutions
0 < z∗ < 1, (6)
A solution will be given for two cases of Peclet-numbers:
where wi,j = vz(i,j ) (xi,j − xi,j −1 )/(vx H ). The solute concen- 0 < P < ∞ and P = 0. The case P = ∞, will be discussed
tration is assumed to be continuous in the interface of two briefly.
 P. Tervola / Chemical Engineering Science 61 (2006) 3268 – 3277 3271

2.2.1. Case 0 < P < ∞ where bk is given by Eq. (A.4) and k = 1, 2, 3, . . . , ∞ (see
The fundamental solution method has been given by Brenner Appendix for more details). The average dimensionless
(1962). The idea is to write the advection–dispersion equation solute concentration in the cake after the sector (i =
in a dimensionless form and to transform it into the heat con- 1, 2, 3, . . . , ns , j = 1, 2, 3, . . . , nf ) is
duction equation with a suitable variable transformation. The ∞
 sin(n ) −(2n /4P )wi,j
heat conduction equation is then solved using the classic tech- ∗
cc(i,j ∗ P (2−wi,j )
) = cw(i,j ) + e an(i,j ) e
nique of separation of variables. Based on this method, the so- n
n=1
lution in the dimensionless form in ith stage and jth sector is (14)
∗ P (2z∗ −x ∗ )
ci,j (x ∗ , z∗ ) = cw(i,j
∗
)+e
and in the wash effluent from the sector reads either
∞ ∞
 ∗ e2P  sin(n )
an(i,j )
n (z∗ )e−(n /4P )x , cf∗ (i,j ) = cw(i,j
∗
2
× (9) )+ an(i,j )
wi,j n
n=1 n=1
−((4P 2 +2n )/4P )wi,j
∗ =(c −c
where ci,j i,j w(ns ,nf ) )/(c0 −cw(ns ,nf ) ) is the dimension-
× (1 − e ) (15a)
less solute concentration, an(i,j ) is the Fourier coefficient and or
⎧∗ ∗
2P ⎪cw(1,1) + w11,1 (1−cc(1,1) ), i = 1, j = 1,
∗

n (z ) = cos(n z ) + ∗
sin(n z∗ ) ⎪
⎪
(10) ⎪c ∗ + 1
(c ∗
⎨ w(i,1) wi,1 c(i−1,nf ) c(i,1)−c ∗ ), i=2, 3, 4, . . . , ns ,
n
cf∗ (i,j ) = j = 1,
is the orthogonal base function. The eigenvalues n (n = ⎪
⎪ ∗ ∗ ∗
⎪c
⎩ w(i,j ) + wi,j (cc(i,j −1) −cc(i,j ) ), i=1, 2, 3, . . . , ns ,
1
⎪
1, 2, 3, . . .) are the positive roots of the transcendental equation
j = 2, 3, 4, . . . , nf .
4P  (15b)
tan() = . (11)
2
 − 4P 2 The dimensionless form of the wash effluents circulation Eq.
Eq. (7) yields the following continuity conditions (8) is
∗ ∗
∞ cw(i−1,J ) = cf (i,j ) , i = 2, 3, 4, . . . , ns , j = 1, 2, 3, . . . , nf .

∗ −2P z∗ ∗
an(1,1)
n (z ) = e (1 − cw(1,1) ), (12a) (16)
n=1
2.2.2. Case P = 0
∞
 ∗ This case can be described so that the sector is divided into
an(i,1)
n (z∗ ) = e−2P z (cw(i−1,n
∗
f)
∗
− cw(i,1) ) small elements in x-direction and a part of the wash liquid
n=1 with the interstitial velocity vz(i,j ) is injected into the element.
∞

−P wi−1,nf The wash liquid mixes perfectly with the whole content of the
+e an(i−1,nf )
n (z∗ )
element and an equal volume of the wash effluent is removed
n=1
from the element. The solute concentrations are constant within
−(2n /4P )wi−1,nf
×e , (12b) the elements, but they vary from one element to another. The
∞ solute concentration in ith stage and jth sector is
 ∗
an(i,j )
n (z∗ ) = e−2P z (cw(i,j
∗ ∗
−1) − cw(i,j ) ) + e
−P wi,j −1 ∗
ci,j (x ∗ , z∗ ) = cw(i,j
∗ −x ∗
) + a(i,j ) e , (17)
n=1
∞
 where ai,j is the coefficient, i = 1, 2, 3, . . . , ns and j =
an(i,j −1)
n (z∗ )e−(n /4P )wi,j −1 ,
2
× 1, 2, 3, . . . , nf . Analogous to Eq. (7), the continuity property
n=1 at the interface gives
(12c) ∗
a(1,1) = 1 − cw(1,1) , (18a)
where i = 1, 2, 3, . . . , ns and j = 2, 3, 4, . . . , nf . Multiplying
−wi−1,nf
both sides of Eqs. (12a)–(12c) by
k (z∗ ) and integrating the ∗
a(i,1) = cw(i−1,n ∗
− cw(i,1) + a(i−1,nf ) e ,
f)
equations from z∗ = 0 to z∗ = 1 yields i = 2, 3, 4, . . . , ns , (18b)
∗
ak(1,1) = (1 − cw(1,1) )bk , (13a) ∗
a(i,j ) = cw(i,j ∗
− cw(i,j + a(i,j −1) e −wi,j −1
,
−1) )
∗
ak(i,1) = (cw(i−1,n ∗
− cw(i,1) )bk i = 1, 2, 3, . . . , ns , (18c)
f)
−((4P 2 +2 )/4P )wi−1,nf
where j = 2, 3, 4, . . . , nf . The average dimensionless solute
+e k
ak(i−i,nf ) , concentration in the cake is obtained as
i = 2, 3, 4, . . . , ns , (13b) ∗ ∗ −wi,j
cc(i,j ) = cw(i,j ) + a(i,j ) e (19)
∗ ∗
ak(i,j ) = (cw(i,j −1) − cw(i,j ) )bk
where i = 1, 2, 3, . . . , ns and j = 1, 2, 3, . . . , nf . The average
+ e−((4P +k )/4P )wi,j −1 ak(i,j −1) , i = 1, 2, 3, . . . , ns ,
2 2
dimensionless solute concentration in the wash effluent from
j = 2, 3, 4, . . . , nf , (13c) the sector is calculated according to Eq. (15b).
3272 P. Tervola / Chemical Engineering Science 61 (2006) 3268 – 3277

2.2.3. Case P = ∞ Table 1

The wash liquid sharply displaces theoriginal liquid in the The number of the terms N in the Eq. (14) to reduce the truncation error
nf under 10−6 with different P and w1,1 in the one-stage cake washing
cake. In the case of the wash ratio W = j =1 w(ns ,j ) < 1, cake
washing has an influence only to the last washing stage i.e., P w1,1 N
increasing the number of the washing stages from
nf one is mean- 1.0 0 40
ingless. In the case of the wash ratio W = j =1 w(ns ,j ) 1, 2.0 0 93
only one washing stage is needed. Therefore, multistage coun- 7.5 0 2788
tercurrent cake washing is not necessary in this case. 20 0 Over 2300 000
1.0 0.17 5
3. Algorithm 2.0 0.17 7
7.5 0.17 19
20 0.17 44
3.1. Numerical aspects 1.0 0.33 4
2.0 0.33 5
The series of Eqs. (14)–(15a) contain an infinite number of 7.5 0.33 13
terms. Computers certainly cannot compute values for all of 20 0.33 31
1.0 0.5 3
the terms in an infinite sum. The terms that are left out lead 2.0 0.5 5
to a truncation error which is a consequence of doing only a 7.5 0.5 11
finite number of steps in a calculation that would require an 20 0.5 24
infinite number of steps to do exactly. When the number of 1.0 1.0 2
the terms is large in the series in Eqs. (14)–(15a) in a one- 2.0 1.0 3
7.5 1.0 7
stage cake washing case, the series are alternating and converge 20 1.0 15
absolutely. The difference or error in the value of the series
between the infinite number of the terms and N terms in the
series is less than the absolute value of (N + 1)th-term of
the series (Grossman, 1984). The difference in the series in wash ratio in the sector. For the case of wi,j =0, there is no wash
Eq. (14) is liquid flow to the sector and the solute concentration remains
∞ unchanged in the sector. In practical multistage countercurrent
 sin(n ) −(2n /4P )wi,j cake washing cases wi,j > 0.33 andP < 7.5, the needed number
P (2−wi,j )
e an(i,j ) e of the terms in the series in Eq. (14) is less than 20 (N < 20)
n
n=1
to achieve accuracy of 10−6 . The Newton method is applied to
sin(n ) −(2n /4P )wi,j
N
find N eigenvalues by solving Eq. (11).
− an(i,j ) e Finally, let us make a comparison of the developed method
n
n=1
with numerical schemes. Traditionally, Eq. (6) is solved numer-
sin(N+1 ) −(2N +1 /4P )wi,j

eP (2−wi,j ) aN+1(i,j ) e . (20)
ically using the finite difference, the finite volume or finite ele-
N+1 ment method. Using the central difference scheme for the first
For calculation of the truncation error, Eq. (14) is more accurate order derivative and the three-point scheme for the second order
than Eq. (15a) since the absolute value of (N + 1)th-term in derivative, the necessary number of the grid points or elements
Eq. (14) is smaller than in the series in Eq. (15a). Hence, the for the cake is about 103 for accuracy of 10−6 . Depending on
average dimensionless solute concentration in the wash effluent the integration scheme in x-direction, the number of integration
was calculated using the global solute material balance Eq. steps varies with the sector. Under such circumstances, the Eu-
(15b) of the sector. The rounding error is the error associated ler backward method, for instance, is certainly out of question
with the fact that the computer keeps only a finite number of due to its very small step size (Johnson, 1987). The number of
digits in calculations with inexact numbers. To reduce rounding the terms in the Fourier series Eq. (14) is low in the practical
errors the summation in the series of Eq. (14) was done so that cases, which offers an efficient solution method compared to
the terms in Eq. (14) were grouped pairwise, then in pairs of the finite difference, finite volume or finite element method to
pairs, etc., proceeding from n = N to n = 1 so that all additions achieve the same accuracy.
involved operands of comparable magnitude (Press et al., 1988).
The Peclet-number P and wi,j determine the truncation error 3.2. Solution algorithm
and hence control the accuracy of the calculation in the series of
Eq. (14). Large P or/and very small wi,j demands more terms We summarize the calculation process as follows for different
in the series and the modified asymptotic formula based on the Peclet-numbers. The purpose is to find the Fourier coefficients
Laplace transform is perhaps more suitable (Brenner, 1962). for each sector.
Table 1 shows the number of the terms in the series of Eq. (14)
for an accuracy of 10−6 with respect to different P and wi,j 3.2.1. Case 0 < P < ∞
in one-stage cake washing. Parameter wi,j presents the ratio Step 1. Eigenvalues k (k = 1, 2, 3, . . . , N ) were solved nu-
between the wash liquid flow to the sector and liquid flow of the merically by the Newton method in Eq. (11). The number
cake due to the movement of the cake i.e., wi,j represents the of the needed eigenvalues N was estimated so that the right
 P. Tervola / Chemical Engineering Science 61 (2006) 3268 – 3277
hand of Eq. (20) was less than the desired tolerance (assuming
∗
i = 1, j = 1, cw(i,j ) = 0). However, the minimum number of
terms was selected 20. Step 1 was done only once.
Step 2. New Fourier coefficients ak(i,j ) , k = 1, 2, 3, . . . , N
for each sector were obtained from Eqs. (13a)–(13c). New
Fourier coefficients are in the left-hand side and old Fourier
coefficients in the right-hand side of the equations.
Step 3. The average solute concentration in the cake after
each sector was evaluated using Eq. (14) and the average solute
concentration in the wash effluent was obtained using global
solute material balance Eq. (15b) of the sector.
Step 4. The wash effluent circulation from one sector to an-
other sector was described according to Eq. (16).
Step 5. The global dimensionless solute material balance dif-
ference between the incoming flows (unwashed cake and the
wash liquids to the last stage) and the outgoing flows (washed
cake and the wash effluents from the first stage) was calculated
nf

∗ ∗
r = 1 − cc(ns ,nf )
+ wns ,j (cw(ns ,j )
− cf∗ (1,j ) ),
j =1
where w1,j = wns ,j due to Eq. (16).
Step 6. If |r| was less than the desired tolerance, the algorithm
stopped. Otherwise, the algorithm continued from Step 2 to
calculate new Fourier coefficients.
3.2.2. Case P = 0
The solution algorithm follows the same procedures de-
scribed in Section 3.2.1 (omitting step 1) except that Eqs.
(18a)–(18c) are employed to calculate a(i,j ) in each sector and
Eq. (19) for the average solute concentration in the cake after
each sector.
4. Examples
The solution method was applied to the multistage counter-
current cake washing to explore wash effluent circulation inside
the cake washing. The number of washing stages was varied
from two to seven and the number of sectors in each stage from
one to three. More detailed simulations are done in two-stage
cake washing with four different Peclet-numbers: P = 0, 1, 2
and 7.5. The Peclet-numbers between P = 1 and P = 2 are typ-
ical in industrial washers (Wakeman and Tarleton, 1999) and
P = 7.5 presents a laboratory scale cake washing tester. The
Peclet-number P = 0 is an example of inefficient cake wash-
ing. When the number of the washing stages was from three to
seven, the only practically interesting Peclet-numbers i.e., P =1
and P = 2 were considered. The following notation is used:
C1: there is no segregation of wash effluent in the stage
(nf = 1),
C2: each stage is divided into two equal length sectors i.e., two
segregated wash effluents (nf = 2) and
C3: each stage is divided into three equal length sectors i.e.,
three segregated wash effluents (nf = 3).
3273
C1 presents a non-segregated or a conventional way of cir-
culating wash effluents countercurrently. Fig. 1 illustrates the
non-segregated three-stage cake washing. In C2 and C3 each
stage was divided in two or three segregated wash effluents, see
Figs. 2 and 6.
The truncation error was selected to be 10−6 and the tolerance
in Eq. (21) was chosen to be 10−9 . The solute concentration
in the wash liquid to the last washing stage was cw(ns ,j ) =
cw(ns ,nf ) , j = 1, 2, 3, . . . , nf − 1. The number of the terms
N in the Fourier series in Eq. (14) was 3000, only when wi,j
was almost zero in the sector. When wi,j is zero, there is no
flow of the wash liquid and the cake remains unchanged in
the sector. It is worth mentioning that the number of needed
terms decreased rapidly (wi,j = 0.01, N = 67, P = 7.5 and
wi,j = 0.10, N = 23, P = 7.5). For wi,j 0.15, the number
of needed terms N
20.
5. Results
(21)
Fig. 3 displays the fraction of the solute removed from the
cake as a function of the wash ratio for four different Peclet-
numbers in non-segregated (C1) two-stage countercurrent cake
washing (ns = 2, nf = 1). The wash ratio in the stage was
nf
defined as W = j =1 w(ns ,j ) . A higher Peclet-number means a
higher fraction of the solute removed from the cake, which is
the well-known result in one-stage cake washing.
Figs. 4–5 show the difference of the solute fraction removed
from the cake as a function of the wash ratio between the
cases C1, C2 and C3. Notations C2–C1 in the figures means
the difference in the solute removed from the cake between
C2 and C1. When the wash ratio was much lower or higher
than one, segregating the wash effluent from the stage to two
or three parts and circulating them countercurrently did not
give essentially better solute removal compared to the conven-
tional way of circulating wash effluents. If the wash ratio was
around one, the difference exists. The biggest increase in the
fraction of solute removed from the cake (about 0.01–0.02) oc-
curred when the wash ratio was close to one. The higher the
1.00
Fraction of solute removed from cake
0.90 P=7.5
0.80
0.70
P=1.0 P=2.0
P=0.0
0.60
0.50
0.40
0.30
0.20
0.10
0.00
0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00
Wash ratio
Fig. 3. A fraction of the solute removed from the cake as a function of
wash ratio with different Peclet-numbers in the non-segregated (C1) two-stage
countercurrent cake washing.
3274 P. Tervola / Chemical Engineering Science 61 (2006) 3268 – 3277

0.025
Incoming wash liquid
Change in fraction of solute

0.020
removed from cake

P=1.0, C3 - C1
P=1.0, C2 - C1
0.015

Cake Cake
0.010
in out
0.005
P=0.0, C2 - C1
P=0.0, C3 - C1
0.000
0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00
Wash ratio
Leaving wash effluent
Fig. 4. The difference in solute fraction removed from the cake in C2 and
C3 compared to C1 as a function of the wash ratio, P = 0.0, P = 1.0 and Fig. 6. A schematic flow diagram of a three-stage (ns = 3) countercurrent
two-stage countercurrent cake washing. cake washing with two segregated (nf = 2) wash effluents from each stage.

C1, P = 1 C1, P = 2
C2, P = 1 C2, P = 2
C3, P = 1 C3, P = 2
0.025
P=7.5, C3 - C1
P=7.5, C2 - C1
0.13
Change in fraction of solute

0.12
0.020 0.11
Fraction of solute in the
removed from cake

0.1
cake after washing

0.015 0.09
0.08
0.07
0.010 0.06
P=2.0, C3 - C1
P=2.0, C2 - C1 0.05
0.04
0.005
0.03
0.02
0.000 0.01
0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00 0
Wash ratio 2 3 4 5 6 7
Number of washing stages
Fig. 5. The difference in solute fraction removed from the cake in C2 and
C3 compared to C1 as a function of the wash ratio, P = 2.0, P = 7.5 and Fig. 7. The fraction of the solute in the cake after washing, when the number
two-stage countercurrent cake washing. of washing stages varies from two to seven, the number of segregated wash
effluents from the stage from one to three, the wash ratio in the stage W =1.0
the Peclet-number P = 1 and P = 2.

Table 2
The wash ratios in different cases with the same fraction of removed solute Peclet-number was, the narrower the area was in the wash ratio,
from cake in two-stage countercurrent cake washing which gave essentially better recovery of the solute.
Keeping the fraction of the solute in the cake after washing
Peclet-number Wash ratio, C1 Wash ratio, C2 Wash ratio, C3
in a certain limit, the segregation of the wash effluent from the
0.0 0.500 0.496 0.495 stage allowed a lower wash ratio. Table 2 illustrates a compar-
0.0 1.000 0.980 0.977 ison of the wash ratios for three cases with the same solute re-
0.0 1.500 1.461 1.455
covery. Two and three segregated wash effluents from the stage
0.0 2.000 1.945 1.937
1.0 0.500 0.499 0.499 allowed a lower wash ratio for achieving the same solute re-
1.0 1.000 0.965 0.960 covery compared to the conventional case.
1.0 1.500 1.421 1.409 As an example, a schematic flow diagram of the three-stage
1.0 2.000 1.898 1.885 and two segregated wash effluents from the stage is shown in
2.0 0.500 0.500 0.500
Fig. 6. In Figs. 7–9 are shown the fraction of the solute in the
2.0 1.000 0.964 0.958
2.0 1.500 1.391 1.373 cake after washing, when the number of the washing stages was
2.0 2.000 1.852 1.834 varied from two to seven and the number segregated wash efflu-
7.5 0.500 0.500 0.500 ents (sectors) from the stage was varied from one to three in the
7.5 1.000 0.972 0.965 different Peclet-numbers and wash ratios. Increasing the num-
7.5 1.500 1.323 1.274
ber of washing stages or increasing Peclet-number decreased
7.5 2.000 1.690 1.630
the fraction of the solute in the cake after the washing, which are
 P. Tervola / Chemical Engineering Science 61 (2006) 3268 – 3277 3275

less washing stages to achieve the same solute recovery as with

C1, P = 1 C1, P = 2
C2, P = 1 C2, P = 2 the lower wash ratio.
C3, P = 1 C3, P = 2
0.07 6. Conclusions
Fraction of solute in the cake

0.06
In this paper, the Fourier series solution was developed for
0.05 the multistage countercurrent cake washing process so that the
solute concentration profile between the sectors is preserved.
after washing

0.04
A hallmark of the result is its simple and concise mathematical
0.03 form of the solutions, which cannot be found in the existing
0.02 literature. The solution method is efficient in many practical
multistage countercurrent cake-washing applications, since less
0.01 than 20 terms are needed in the Fourier series to achieve good
0.00 accuracy. The method can also easily be applied in the situa-
2 3 4 5 6 7
tion, where the leaving wash effluent from the washing plant is
Number of washing stages
segregated. Furthermore, washing processes where several dif-
Fig. 8. The fraction of the solute in the cake after washing, when the number
ferent kinds of the wash liquids are used at the same time for
of washing stages varies from two to seven, the number of segregated wash one-stage or more flexible stage cake washing systems is easily
effluents from the stage from one to three, the wash ratio in the stage W =1.2, handled.
the Peclet-number P = 1 and P = 2. The segregated wash effluent circulation increased the frac-
tion of the solute removal by 0.01–0.02 compared to the con-
ventional non-segregated wash effluent circulation, when the
wash ratio in stage was around one and Peclet-number below
C1, P = 1 C1, P = 2
C2, P = 1 C2, P = 2 7.5. When the wash ratio was lower than 0.6–0.7, the segre-
C3, P = 1 C3, P = 2 gated wash effluent circulation did not give the essential ben-
0.02 efit. When the wash ratio was larger than 1.5–1.6, need of the
0.018 countercurrent washing is reduced.
Fraction of solute in the

0.016 Using the kraft pulp industry as an example, an increase of

cake after washing

0.014
0.012
0.01
0.008
0.006
0.004
0.002
0 crete, the cost savings are in the range of 0.14.0.54 ¥/(ton pulp)
2 3 4 5
Number of washing stages
Fig. 9. The fraction of the solute in the cake after washing, when the number
of washing stages varies from two to seven, the number of segregated wash
effluents from the stage from one to three, the wash ratio in the stage W =1.5,
the Peclet-number P = 1 and P = 2.
well known results. The difference in the fraction of the solute
in the cake after washing between two or three segregated wash
effluents from the stage and the conventional non-segregated
wash effluents circulation (C1–C2, C1–C3) decreased, when
the number of washing stages increased. Decreased difference
did not mean that significance of the segregation of the wash
effluents from the stage decreases. When the number of wash-
ing stages in the segregated wash effluent circulation was four
or five and more, one or two more washing stages was needed
in the conventional non-segregated wash effluent circulation to
achieve the same or lower fraction of the solute in the cake
after washing in the practical Peclet-numbers. Increasing the
wash ratio improved the solute recovery, which allows use of
the fraction of the removed solute in the washing after a typical
oxygen delignification. The decreased amount of the unwashed
solute measured as COD (chemical oxygen demand) is 1–2 kg-
COD/(ton pulp). One kilogram of COD consumes 0.4–0.8 kg
of active chlorine in a following chloronation stage (Stromberg,
1991) and about 0.5 kg of active chlorine in a following chlo-
rine dioxide stage (Miller and Lennon, 1996). To be more con-
6 7
in the chlorination stage and annual cost saving is in a typi-
cal 350 000 ton pulp/year pulp mill is in the range 50–190 k¥.
Numbers vary from mill to mill and one should consider the
above numbers as a rough estimate.
If clean cake is needed and the amount of the wash effluent
leaving from the washing plant cannot be large, low wash ratio
and several washing stages are needed. When the number of the
washing stages is from four to five or more in the conventional
non-segregated wash effluents circulation, less washing stages
are needed in the segregated wash effluent circulation to achieve
the same fraction of the recovery of the solute in practical
Peclet-numbers. A lower number of washing stages need less
area for cake washing and therefore the size of the washer
can be smaller and investment cost lower. The savings in the
investment cost can be significant. Depending on the washer,
production of the solids, layout of a washing plant savings can
be tens or hundreds of thousands euros.
The segregated wash effluent circulation needs a lower wash
ratio to produce the same fraction of the solute in the cake after
washing compared to the conventional non-segregated wash ef-
fluent circulation. A lower wash ratio for instance in the brown
3276 P. Tervola / Chemical Engineering Science 61 (2006) 3268 – 3277

stock washing in kraft pulp industry means about 0.4–0.5 less cw(i,j ) solute concentration in the wash liquid of ith stage and
tons of water per ton of pulp to evaporate. In the case where jth sector, g m−3
pulp and paper mills are integrated, the saved steam in the evap- ∗
cw(i,j dimensionless solute concentration in the wash liquid
)
oration plant can be used in the paper mill and less purchased of ith stage and jth sector
fuel is needed to produce steam for the paper mill. The cost Dx(i,j ) hydrodynamic dispersion coefficient to x-direction in
savings could be in the range 0.55–0.70 ¥/(ton pulp) in a six ith stage and jth sector, m2 s−1
effect evaporation plant, which annually means in the previous Dz(i,j ) hydrodynamic dispersion coefficient to z-direction in
typical pulp mill 192–245 k¥. Lower steam consumption in the ith stage and jth sector, m2 s−1
evaporation plant gives more possibilities to increase produc- H thickness of the cake, m
tion of pulp. Increasing production for instance by 0.1% in the i washing stage index
previous typical pulp mill can bring 160–210 k¥ more revenue
j sector index
in the current pulp prices.
k positive integer
The solution method was also used to find an optimum di-
vision of the stage to the sectors. In the above examples, the L length of the cake, m
washing stages were divided into equal length sectors. The op- n summation index
timization was done so that the washing stages have the same nf number of sectors in single washing stage
length, but sectors may have different lengths. To keep the same ns number of washing stages
superficial velocity of the wash liquid in each sector, the first N number of positive eigenvalues solved from Eq. (11)
sector in each stage has to have an equal length and so did the P Peclet-number, P = vz(i,j ) H /(4Dz(i,j ) )
second sector, though the lengths may vary. The lowest frac- r global dimensionless solute material balance differ-
tion of the solute in the cake after washing occurred when the ence between the incoming and outgoing flows to the
first and the second sectors in the stage have an equal length in cake washing
two segregated wash effluents from the stage situation. In three vx cake velocity to the x-direction, m s−1
segregated wash effluent case, the lowest fraction of the solute vz(i,j ) interstitial velocity of the wash liquid through cake to
in the cake was obtained when the length of the second sector z-direction in ith stage and jth sector, m s−1
was in the range 30–33% of the total stage length. The lengths
wi,j wash ratio in the sector. wi,j = vz(i,j ) (xi,j −
of the first and the third sectors were the same, which were in
xi,j −1 )/(vx H ).
the range 33–35% of the total stage length. The splitting posi-
W wash ratio in the stage
tions of the stage to the sectors depended on the Peclet-number
and the wash ratio. The equal length sectors were very close to x distance in longitudinal direction, m
the optimum division of the sectors in the stage. x∗ dimensionless distance in longitudinal direction
Based on the above practical considerations, the segregated xi,j x-coordinate of interface of two sectors, m
wash effluent circulation in the multistage countercurrent cake z thickness position coordinate, m
washing looks attractive. z∗ dimensionless thickness position coordinate
Greek letters
 unknown variable in Eq. (11)
Notation
n solution of Eq. (11)

n (z∗ ) orthogonal base function defined in Eq. (10)
a(i,j ) coefficient defined for ith stage and jth sector, when
P =0
an(i,j ) nth Fourier coefficient defined for ith stage and jth
Appendix
sector
bk coefficient defined in Eq. (A.4)
Multiplying by
k (z∗ ) (Eq. (10)) on both sides of Eq. (12c)
b1k coefficient defined in Eq. (A.2)
and integrating the equation from z∗ = 0 to z∗ = 1 yields
b2k coefficient defined in Eq. (A.3)
c0 solute concentration in the unwashed cake, g m−3
∞
1
ci,j solute concentration in ith stage and jth sector of the
an(i,j )
n (z∗ )
k (z∗ ) dz∗
cake, g m−3 0 n=1
∗
ci,j dimensionless solute concentration in ith stage and jth
1
sector of the cake ∗
∗ = e−2P z (cw(i,j
∗ ∗ ∗
−1) − cw(i,j ) )
k (z ) dz
∗
cc(i,j ) dimensionless average solute concentration in cake af- 0
ter ith stage and jth sector
1 ∞

an(i,j −1)
n (z∗ )e−(n /4P )wi,j −1
2
cf (i,j ) average solute concentration in wash effluent of ith + e−P wi,j −1
stage and jth sector, g m−3 0 n=1
cf∗ (i,j ) dimensionless average solute concentration in wash ×
k (z ) dz . ∗ ∗
(A.1)
effluent of ith stage and jth sector
 P. Tervola / Chemical Engineering Science 61 (2006) 3268 – 3277 3277

Integrals in Eq. (A.1) are Edwards, L., Jamieson, A., Norberg, S.-E., Pettersson, B., 1976. Material

1 balance for brown stock washing, screening, and oxygen bleaching in
∗ 4P closed-mill systems. Tappi 59, 83–87.
b1k = e−2P z
k (z∗ ) dz∗ = , (A.2) Grossman, S.I., 1984. Calculus. Academic Press Inc., Orlando.
0 4P 2 + 2k Haywood, S., 1995. Modelling brown stock washing systems using PCGEMS.
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 Johnson, C., 1987. Numerical Solution of Partial Differential Equations by
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∗ ∗ ∗ n = k,
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n (z )
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