VARIABLE LEACHING SOLUTION

1. Halibut oil is extracted from halibut livers in a countercurrent multi-batch arrangement using ether as solvent.
The solids charged contain 0.35 kg oil per kg exhausted livers and it is desired to obtain a 90% oil recovery. How
many theoretical stages are required if 50 kg ether is used per 100 kg of untreated solids? The entrainment are
as follows:
𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.67
𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
0.28 0.34 0.40 0.47 0.55 0.66 0.80 0.96
𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠

GIVEN

Extract, Va Extracting Solvent, Vb

(90% oil recovery) Ether
50 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒

a
1 N-1 N 100 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
b

Halibut Livers Raffinate

0.35 kg oil/ kg exhausted liver Lb
La exhausted liver

REQUIRED: Number of theoretical stages, N

SOLUTION: Basis: 100 kg untreated solids

Since entrainment or retention varies with composition, then it is VARIABLE UNDERFLOW LEACHING.
For Variable Underflow Leaching, graphical method is done.

A. Using PONCHON-SAVARIT METHOD

• Vb (yb,0)
𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉
𝑦𝑦𝑏𝑏 = =0
𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉
• Va (ya,0)
𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉
𝑦𝑦𝑎𝑎 =
𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉
For 90% oil recovery,
𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 0.9( 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓)
0.35 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜
𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 0.9 � (100 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠)�
1𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒ℎ𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 + 0.35 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜
𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 23.3333 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜

***Note: the untreated solids contain oil and inert liver (exhausted liver)
 23.3333
𝑦𝑦𝑎𝑎 = 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 1
𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉
• La(xa,Na)
𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿
 𝑥𝑥𝑎𝑎 =
𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿

Note: Lb is the solution in the feed. La= solution in feed = solvent in feed + solute in feed

𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 = 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 + 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 = 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 + 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒

∗∗ but no ether in feed, so
𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 = 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓
0.35 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜
𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 = (100 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠)]
1𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒ℎ𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 + 0.35 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜
𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 = 25.9259 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 = 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓

25.9259
𝑥𝑥𝑎𝑎 =
0 + 25.9259
𝑥𝑥𝑎𝑎 = 1

𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓

 𝑁𝑁𝑎𝑎 =
𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 ,𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿

𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒ℎ𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙

1 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒ℎ𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙
𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 = (100 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠)
1.35 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 74.0741𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘
74.0741
𝑁𝑁𝑎𝑎 = = 2.8571
25.9259
**** La(1, 2.8571)

• Lb (xb, Nb)
𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿
 𝑥𝑥𝑏𝑏 =
𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿

Since 90% oil was recovered, then 10% oil was left in the raffinate. Oil in Lb=10% of oil fed

0.1(25.9259)
𝑥𝑥𝑏𝑏 = 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 2
𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿
𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟
 𝑁𝑁𝑏𝑏 =
𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 ,𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿

Solid in raffinate is the same with that of the feed.

74.0741
𝑁𝑁𝑏𝑏 = 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 3
𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿
 SOLUTION BAL AROUND WHOLE SYSTEM:

𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 + 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 + 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉

25.9259 + 50 = 𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 + 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒4

Since there are 5 unknowns but only 4 equations, then proceed with TRIAL AND ERROR

Steps:

1. Assume any value of xb

2. Solve Nb by interpolation using given entrainment data
3. Solve Lb using eqn 3
4. Solve xb using eqn 2
5. Check if the value of assumed xb(Step 1) is equal to solved xb (Step 4)
6. If not equal, use solved xb as the new assumed xb. Repeat steps 1 to 5

From given:

𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜
, 𝑥𝑥 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.67
𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑏𝑏
𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 1
𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
, 𝑁𝑁 0.28 0.34 0.40 0.47 0.55 0.66 0.80 0.96
N 3.5714 2.9412 2.5 2.1277 1.8182 1.5152 1.25 1.0417

Assumed xb Nb Lb xb
0.2 2.5 29.6296 0.0875
0.0875 3.02 24.5278 0.1057
0.1057 2.9161 25.4018 0.1021
0.1021 2.9319 25.2649 0.1026
0.1026 2.9297 25.2836 0.1025

Since 0.1025≈0.1026, STOP ITERATION.

𝑥𝑥𝑏𝑏 = 0.1025

Using equation 2: 𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 = 25.2936 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘

Using equation 3: 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁 = 2.9286

Using equation 4: 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 = 50.6323 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘

Using equation 1: 𝑦𝑦𝑎𝑎 = 0.4608

Thus the 4 pts are:

𝑉𝑉𝑏𝑏 (0,0) 𝑉𝑉𝑎𝑎 (0.4608,0) 𝐿𝐿𝑏𝑏 (0.1025,2.9286) 𝐿𝐿𝑎𝑎 (1,2.8571)

Determine the number of stages:

1. Plot underflow (blue curve) and overflow curve (x-axis).

2. Plot La, Lb, Va, Vb
3. Connect La – Va (red line) and Lb – Vb (green line), then extend until intersection
4. Draw the stages as shown below. (orange lines)
5. Count the number of triangles or equilibrium stages

Lb (0.1025, 2.9286)
La (1, 2.8571)

3 2 1 Va (0.4608,0)
Vb(0,0)

𝑁𝑁 = 3 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠

B. Using MCCABE-THIELE METHOD

Va V Vb
ya y yb

1 n N
La L Lb
xa x xb

In Mccabe – Thiele Method, at least 4 pts, including (xa, ya) and (xb, yb) , are needed to draw the operating line.
For the 2 additional pts, balance around the dashed line will be done.
Steps:
1. Assume any value of x between xa and xb
2. Solve for y using balance around dashed line
• (x1, y1)
Assume x1= 0.3

Around dashed line

Solution balance:
𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 + 𝑉𝑉1 = 𝐿𝐿1 + 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉
25.9259 + 𝑉𝑉1 = 𝐿𝐿1 + 50.6323 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒1

From given, at x1=0.30, 1/N1=0.47

1
𝐿𝐿1 = 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 � � = 74.0741(0.47)
𝑁𝑁1
𝐿𝐿1 = 34.8148 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘

Using eqn 1 𝑉𝑉1 = 59.5212 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘

Oil balance:
𝐿𝐿𝑎𝑎 𝑥𝑥𝑎𝑎 + 𝑉𝑉1 𝑦𝑦1 = 𝐿𝐿1 𝑥𝑥1 + 𝑉𝑉𝑎𝑎 𝑦𝑦𝑎𝑎
25.9259(1) + 59.5212𝑦𝑦1 = 34.8148(0.3) + 50.6323(0.4608)
𝑦𝑦1 = 0.1319
• (x2,y2)
Assume x2=0.6

Around dashed line

Solution balance:
𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 + 𝑉𝑉2 = 𝐿𝐿2 + 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉
25.9259 + 𝑉𝑉2 = 𝐿𝐿2 + 50.6323 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒2

From given, at x2=0.60, 1/N2=0.80

1
� = 74.0741(0.80)
𝐿𝐿2 = 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 �
𝑁𝑁2
𝐿𝐿2 = 59.2593 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘

Using eqn 2 𝑉𝑉2 = 83.9657 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘

Oil balance:
𝐿𝐿𝑎𝑎 𝑥𝑥𝑎𝑎 + 𝑉𝑉2 𝑦𝑦2 = 𝐿𝐿2 𝑥𝑥2 + 𝑉𝑉𝑎𝑎 𝑦𝑦𝑎𝑎
25.9259(1) + 83.9657𝑦𝑦2 = 59.2593(0.6) + 50.6323(0.4608)
𝑦𝑦2 = 0.3926

Thus, pts for operating line are:

(𝑥𝑥𝑎𝑎 , 𝑦𝑦𝑎𝑎 ) = (1,0.4608) (𝑥𝑥𝑏𝑏 , 𝑦𝑦𝑏𝑏 ) = (0.1025,0)
(𝑥𝑥1 , 𝑦𝑦1 ) = (0.3,0.1319) (𝑥𝑥2 , 𝑦𝑦2 ) = (0.6,0.3926)
 1

𝑁𝑁 = 3 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠