ASS . Prof. Dr.

Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

College of Engineering

Chemical Engineering Department

Chapter four

Leaching process

By Lecture: Ass.prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer

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 ASS . Prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

Chapter (4 ) Leaching process:

1- Introduction

1-1 Leaching: is the separation of a solute from solid mixture by dissolving it in

a liquid phase.
The process may be used either for the production of a concentrated solution of a aluable
solid material, or in order to remove an insoluble solid, such as a pigment, from a soluble
material with which it is contaminated. The method used for the extraction is etermined by the
proportion of soluble constituent present, its distribution throughout the solid, the nature of the
solid and the particle size. If the solute is uniformly dispersed in the solid, the material near the
surface will be dissolved first, leaving a porous structure in the solid residue. The solvent will
then have to penetrate this outer layer before it can reach further solute, and the process will
become progressively more difficult and the extraction rate will fall In some cases the soluble
material is distributed in small isolated pockets in a material which is impermeable to the solvent
such as gold dispersed in rock, for example. In such cases the material is crushed so that all the
soluble material is exposed to the solvent. Figure(1) below shows leaching steps:

Figure (1) leaching process

1-2 Leaching occurs in two steps:
1. Contacting solvent and solid to effect a transfer of a solute (leaching).
2. The separation of the solution from the remaining solid (washing).
1-3 Factors influencing the rate of extraction:
There are four important factors to be considered:
1. Particle size.
2. Solvent.
3. Temperature.
4. Agitation of the fluid.

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 ASS . Prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

2- Leaching process types:

2-1 Batch Leaching

Mass transfer rates within the porous residue are difficult to assess because it is
impossible to define the shape of the channels through which transfer must take place. It
is possible, however, to obtain an approximate indication of the rate of transfer from the
particles to the bulk of the liquid. Using the concept of a thin film as providing the
resistance to transfer, the equation for mass transfer may be written as:

Figure 2: Batch plant for extraction of oil from seeds

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 ASS . Prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

Where:

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 ASS . Prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

a : is the solvent remaining.

b : is the solvent decanted.

SN : is the weight of solute remaining in the solid after washing.

S : is the original weight of the solute which was in the solid before washing.

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 ASS . Prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

Example (1):
500 kg of the inert solid containing 28 percent by mass of the water-soluble component (A), is
agitated with 100 m3 of water for 600 sec. After each decanting 25% of the solution produced remain in
the residue. Water is saturated with the solute at a concentration of 2.5 kg/m3 mass. In a pilot scale test
using a vessel 1m3 in volume, a solute was leached from an inert solid and the water was 75 percent
saturated in 10 s.

Assuming conditions are equivalent to those in the pilot scale vessel. Find the concentration of the
solute (A) in the solution after the leaching and number of washing such that the concentration of A in
the solid residue is 0.01% by

Solution ;

…… dry basis

B = (500) (1- 0.28) = 360 kg

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 ASS . Prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

0.0001=SN/ 360+SN

SN = 0.036 kg

S = (0.25) (100) (1.4) = 35 kg

θN=SN/S=0.036/ 35 =1.028×10−3

𝛽=0.750/ 25 =3

Example (2):
Repeat the previous example (1) but the time of leaching is 300 sec.

Find the concentration of solute in the solid (dry basis) after five washes where the decanting ratio is
the same.

Solution (2):

B = (500) (1- 0.28) = 360 kg

Total solute = unleached + remaining in the solid after washing

Total solute = 55.3 + 2.06×10−2=55.32 kg

Solute conc.( XA) =55.3255/ (32+360) =0.133

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 ASS . Prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

2-2 Continuous leaching

2.2.1. Counter current flow

Figure (3) Counter current leaching diagram

Where:
L: is the of flow solute in overflow (kg/s).
S: is the of flow solute in underflow (kg/s).
V: is the of flow solution in overflow (kg/s).
W: is the of flow solution in underflow (kg/s).
B: is the of flow insoluble solid in underflow (kg/s).

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 ASS . Prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

Case I: Constant under flow:

The amount of solvent removed with the insoluble solid in the underflow is constant, and
independent of the concentration of the solution in the thickener, then the amount of solvent leaving
each thickener in the underflow will then be the same, and therefore the amount of solvent in the
overflow will also be the same. Hence the ratio of the solvent discharged in the overflow to that in
the underflow is constant. This will be taken as R, where:

Where L=R S

Using E-operator

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 ASS . Prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

2nd order difference equation with the solution:

when L= R S

Then, L1= R A+B

Subtraction Eq.(3) from Eq.(2) to obtain: L1−S0=A (R−1)

In the case for using solute free solvent (pure solvent), Ln+1=0:
L1=S0−Sn

A=S0 –Sn-S0 / R-1 = -Sn/ R-1

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 ASS . Prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

Where: f = fractional of solute discharge. ( Recovery = 1 – f)

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 ASS . Prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

Note:
 We can know the type of continuous leaching (constant under flow) from the sentence:

(The residue from each stage contain 0.25 kg water/kg insoluble solid)

Example (3) :

1.6 kg/s of sand-salt mixture containing 62.5% sand is leached with 0.5 kg/s of water in a counter-
current. The residue from each stage containing 0.25 kg water per kg insoluble solid. Find the number of
stages such that the sand from the final stage contains 10% salt when dried.

Solution

NO. = 1.69

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 ASS . Prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

Case II: Variable under flow:

Figure (4) Variable under flow leaching diagram

Variable under flow:

W1 ≠ W2 ≠ W3 ≠ W3 ≠ Wn ≠ WN solution under flow is variable

x= L/ V=S/ W= kg solute/ kg solution= weight fraction

Solute material balance on the last section: Sn−1+LN+1=Ln+ SN …………….(1)

Solution material balance on the last section: Wn−1+VN+1=Vn+ WN ………….(2)

From Eq.(1) and Eq.(2): Ln=LN+1+Sn−1− SN …………….(3)
n

Vn= VN+1+Wn−1− WN ………….(4)

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 ASS . Prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

Steps to find the number of stages:

1. Take basis 1 kg of insoluble solid (B).

2. Substitute S0 and W0 given in Eq. (S1) to gain X1.
3. Substitute X1 in Eq. (S2) to gain W1.
4. Substitute X1 and W1 in Eq. (S3) to gain S1.
5. Repeat for S1 and W1 in Eq. (S1) to gain X2 then in Eq. (S2) to gain W2 then in Eq. (S3)
to gain S2 and we continue until Sn ≤ SN.

Note ;
Another way to obtain Wn and Xn is to make a plot between (W vs. X) and (S vs. X) as
follow. Take SN and intersect a line to the (S vs. X) curve and read downwards XN, and
from there we go upwards and intersect a line to the (W vs. X) curve and then go to the
left and read WN. As shown in Figure (5)

Figure (5)
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 ASS . Prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

Example (4) :

A vegetable seed material containing 0.4 kg oil/kg insoluble solid is washed with
hydrocarbon solvent in order to recover 90% of the oil in a counter current unit. If
the solvent input flow 0.5 kg/kg insoluble solid. Find the number of stages
required? It is found that the under flow varies with the concentration of classifier
as given below:

Solution:

Basis: 1 kg/s of insoluble solid (B0)

xn=LN+1+Sn−1− SN / VN+1+Wn−1− WN
LN+1 = 0 (pure solvent)
VN+1 = 0.5 kg/s
SN/ S0= f= (1−recovery)
SN=S0 (1−recovery) = 0.4 1−0.9 =0.04 kg/s

From the plot in figure (6)

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 ASS . Prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

Figure (6)
WN=0.3+ 0.2 X =0.3+ 0.2 (SN/ WN)

Put: SN = 0.04 kg/s

WN2−0.3 WN+0.2 (0.04) =0

WN2−0.3 WN+ 0.008=0

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 ASS . Prof. Dr. Rusul Naseer Mass Transfer - 3rd stage Leaching Process 2021

Stages calculations:

S1>SN continue
Stage (2) n=2

S2>SN continue
Stage (3) n = 3

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 4- Calculate the number of stages for Countercurrent using graphical
method

Considering a countercurrent system consisting of n thickeners as shown in figure

below:

Considering the multistage industrial unit, in any equilibrium stage:

The proportion of insoluble solid in the underflow, for example, is given by the relation

Considering the multistage industrial unit, in any equilibrium stage, the quantity of solution in the
underflow may be a function of the concentration of the solution in the thickener, and the
concentration of the overflow solution will be the same as that in the underflow.

 If the curved line EF (Figure below) represents the experimentally determined composition of the
underflow for various concentrations, any point f on this line represents the composition of a mixture of
pure B with a solution of composition g,
 Of/fg is the ratio of solution to solids in the underflow.
 If the amount of solution removed in the underflow is not affected by its concentration, the fractional
composition of the underflow with respect to the insoluble material B (xB) is a constant, and is
represented by a straight line, through E, parallel to the hypotenuse, such as EF
 Point E represents the composition of the underflow when the solution contains pure solvent
 K is the mass of solution removed in the underflow per unit mass of solids, the ordinate of E is given
by by the coordinates:( xA, xS)
Where s= the ratio of solvent to insoluble solid in the underflow is constant ,the net flow to the right
must necessarily be constant throughout the system, if no material enters or leaves at intermediate points.

A balance on the whole system:

The net flow of one of the constituents"

Where:
F: a difference point,
w' : The composition of the stream which must be added
w' h-1 : The composition of the stream which must be give
Xd : fractional composition of the stream flowing to the right with respect to one of the Components.
x0 : The compositions of the solid to be extracted,
xn : The compositions the washed solid
yn' : The compositions solvent
y1: The composition of the concentrated solution leaving the system can then be calculated from all
material balance.
Steps to find a stage number in counter current using graphical mothed:

 Draw equilibrium data of triangle system between the three component (solute,
solvent and solid )
 Extend line from y1 to xo and output figure
 Extend line from yn+1 to xn ( which it is the composition of final product in the
under flow) and output figure to meet the first line in pint called (different point
ɣ)
 Extend line (EF )from xsn to xn on x- axis. It was found from experimentally data
 Extend line from y1 to the center point (0,0) to intersect EF line in point X1
which has coordinates (Xa0, Xso ) where Xso the composition of solvent in solid
and its zero as pure solvent
 Extend line from ɣ point to X1 point and intersect the hypotenuse of the triangle
by point y2
 Form y2 , draw line to center point and get x2 ,
 Repeat these steps until reach to xn value.
 Example 6’
Seeds, containing 20 per cent by mass of oil, are extracted in a countercurrent plant, and
90 percent of the oil is recovered in a solution containing 50 per cent by mass of oil. If the
seeds are extracted with fresh solvent and 1 kg of solution is removed in the underflow in
association with every 2 kg of insoluble matter, how many ideal stages are required?

Solution :
Graphical method.
 Since the seeds contain 20 per cent of oil, then:

xA0 = 0.2 and xB0 = 0.8

 The final solution contains 50 per cent of oil.

Thus: yA1 = 0.5 and yS1 = 0.5

 The solvent which is used for extraction is pure and hence;

ySn+1 = 1

 1 kg of insoluble solid in the washed product is associated with 0.5 kg of solution

and 0.025 kg oil.

Thus: xAn = kg oil/ kg total
0.025/ (1+ 0.5) = 0.0167

xBn = kg soild/ kg total

1/ (1+ = 0.5) = 0.0167
and xSn = 1- ( xA+ XB ) = 1- (0.0167 + 0.0167 )= 0.3166

The mass fraction of insoluble material in the underflow is constant and equal to 0.667.
The composition of the underflow is therefore represented, on the diagram Figure
below,
Thus 5 thickeners are adequate and for the required degree of extraction.