WASHING AND

LEACHING
Separation Process and New Technologies
Professor
Jairo Rubiano
LEACHING AND
WASHING
Remove a solute from a solid matrix by employing
a solvent. The solute is tranferring to the solvent due
to its solubility

Vegetable oil from seeds Coffee preparation

EQUIPMENT FOR WASHING
AND LEACHING
APPLICATIONS OF
MCCABE THIELE AND
KREMSER PROCEDURES
EQUIPMENT FOR WASHING
AND LEACHING

Rotocel extractor Continous, perforated belt

extractor
WASHING
Washing employs water as
Underflow (U): The
solvent entrained liquid. (Liquid in
the solid)

Overflow (O): The solvent

(Water)
WASHING
Equilibrium

1. Solute concentration is the same in both the underflow

and overflow liquid streams, thus the equilibrium
equation is y=x
2. y=mass fraction in the overflow
3. X=mass fraction in the underflow
4. Washing could be performed in a one stage, cross-flow
and countercurrent.
WASHING
Operating Line

1. Overflow and underflow flow rate are constant

Mass balance
 y N +1 O N +1+ x j U j= y j+1 O j +1+ x N U N

Operating Line

 y = U j x + O N +1 y −
UN
x
j +1
O j+1 j O j+1 N+1 O j+1 N
WASHING
Dry solids flow rate or wet solids flow rate is usually
know. The UNDERFLOW liquid flow rate can be
calculated from the volumen of liquid entrained.

Porosity
volume voids volume liquid
ϵ  = =
Total volume Total volume

  ϵ = volume Solids
1−
Total volume
 WASHING
If dry solids mass flow rate is know:
  dry solid mass flow rate
Volume dry solids=
density of solid ( ρs )

  dry solid mass flow rate

Volume total underflow =
density of solid ( ρ s ) ∗ ( 1− ε )

  dry solid mass flow rate ∗ ε

Volume underflow liquid =
density of solid ( ρs ) ∗ (1 − ε )
ε ρ
 
mass underflow liquid (U )=( dry solid mass flow rate ) ∗ F
(1 − ε) ρS

If volumen of wet solids is know:

mass
  underflow liquid ( U )=( Volume wet solids ) ∗ ε ∗ ρ F
WASHING
Constant flow rates is valid if we assume:
1. No solids in the overflow and solids do not dissolve.
This ensures that the solids flow rate will be constant.
2. Densities are constant. Constant fluid density implies
that the solute has Little effect of fluid density or that
the solution is dilute
3. Porosity is constant. Thus, the volume of liquid
entrained from stage to stage is constant

Uj=U  Overflow rate (Oj) must also be constant

 y= U x j+ y N +1 − U x
O O N
WASHING (MCCABE-
THIELE)
LEACHING WITH VARIABLE
FLOW RATE
The calculation procedure for countercurrent leaching operation is exactly the
same as for liquid-liquid extraction.

The equilibrium data for leaching must be obtained experimentally

due the nature of the solids

The overflow will often contain no inert solids. The underflow

(raffinate) will contain solvent
LEACHING
A soluble solute is removed from a solid matrix using
a solvent to dissolve the solute

Low mass transfer rates

Examples: Instant coffee preparation, oil

extraction
LEACHING WITH CONSTANT
FLOW RATE

1. The system is isothermal   kg solute

X=
2. The system is isobaric kg insoluble solid
3. No solvent dissolves into solid
4. No solvent entrained with the solid
5. There is an insoluble solid backbone or matrix   kg solute
6. The heat of mixing of solute in solvent is negligible
Y=
kg solvent
7. The stages are in equilibrium
8. No solids is carried with the overflow liquid

Operating line

  F solid F solid
Y j+1= X j +Y 1 − X
F Solvent F Solvent o
LEACHING WITH CONSTANT
FLOW RATE

The equilibrium line is obtained by

experimental procedure

Operating line

  F solid F solid
Y j+1= X j +Y 1 − X
F Solvent F Solvent o
LEACHING WITH VARIABLE FLOW RATE

Example 14-2
We wish to treat 1000 kg/h (wet basis) of meal (D) that contains 0.20 wt
oil fraction (A) and no benzene (S). The inlet solvent is pure benzene
and flows at 662 kg/h. We desire an underflow product that is 0.04 wt
oil fraction. Temperature and Pressure are constant, and equilibrium
data are given. Find the outlet extract concentration and the number of
equilibrium stages needed in a countercurrent leaching system.
LEACHING WITH VARIABLE
FLOW RATE
Data for extraction of oil from meal with benzene
LEACHING WITH VARIABLE FLOW RATE
1. Plot the equilibrium data
LEACHING WITH VARIABLE FLOW RATE
2. Draw the conjugate line
LEACHING WITH VARIABLE FLOW RATE
3. Plot the location of known points (Solvent, feed and raffinate)

Feed

R1
Solvent
LEACHING WITH VARIABLE FLOW RATE
4. Draw the mixing line and the find mixing point

Feed

M1
R1
Solvent
LEACHING WITH VARIABLE FLOW RATE
5. Find EN

EN

Feed

M1
R1
Solvent
LEACHING WITH VARIABLE FLOW RATE
5. Find the ∆ point

EN

Feed

M1
R1 ∆

Solvent
LEACHING WITH VARIABLE FLOW RATE
6. Step off stages

E3

EN
E2
R3 Feed
E1
R2
M1
R1 ∆

Solvent
HOMEWORK-CLASS
EXERCISE
Halibut oil is extracted from granulated halibut livers in a countercurrent
multi-batch arrangement using ether as the solvent. The solids charge
contains 0.35 kg oil/kg exhausted livers and it is desired to obtain a 90
per cent oil recovery. How many theoretical stages are required if 50 kg
ether is used/100 kg untreated solids? The entrainment data are: