Separation Processes (CHEG 485)

Dr. Mohammad Abu Zahra

(Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering)

Lecture 14: Extraction

1
 Extraction cascades

• Single-stage (or co-current) extraction:

𝑥𝑅 1 S
= with: E  K 
𝑥𝐹 1 + 𝐸 F
𝑥𝑅 1
• Crosscurrent extraction: = 𝑁
𝑥𝐹 1+𝐸 𝑁

xR 1 E 1
• Countercurrent extraction:   n 1
n
1

xF n E
E
n 0

 xin  yin / K   1 1
ln   1    
  xout  yin / K   E  E
(for x < 5 mol%)
N ts 
ln E 2
 Graphical method for immiscible systems

Nts for countercurrent extraction if x > 5 mol%:

Y1 1

Kg solute/kg solvent
Equilibrium line
Y KX 2

3 Slope
F´
S´ 4 stages
4 Operating line
 F´    F´  
Yn 1     X n  Y1    X0
Yn+1  S´    S´  

Xn X0
Kg solute/kg carrier

3
 Partial miscible systems

The composition of the two phases The tie-lines link

in equilibrium is fixed by the Plait point raffinate and
equilibrium/binodal curve extract

Any mixture with

composition lying Binodal curve
inside the immiscible
region splits in two Extract phase
phases: extract and
raffinate. Raffinate phase

Extract and Raffinate

compositions are
defined by the S
equilibrium tie-lines

4
 Graphical method partial miscible systems

Starting point: example

Feed: 45% acetone + 55% water

Raffinate: 10% acetone
Solvent: 100% ethyl acetate

Feed

Raffinate

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 Graphical method partial miscible systems

Nomenclature

F= mass flow rate of feed to the

extractor
S= mass flow rate of solvent to
the extractor
En= mass flow rate of extract
leaving from stage n F

Rn= mass flow rate of raffinate

leaving from stage n
y i,n= mass fraction of species i in Rn
extract leaving from stage n S
x i,n= mass fraction of species i in
raffinate leaving from stage n

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 Graphical method partial miscible systems

1st Step: Location of mixing point M

Overall mass balance:

M  F S

Material balances over each

component:
xi , M  M  xi , F  F  xi , S  S

2nd Step: Location of raffinate RN

Raffinate is at equilibrium: it lies on
the equilibrium curve
We want a certain acetone
composition in the raffinate S

From the balance of any two components (xi,M and xj,M); the location of point M is 7
determined on the ternary diagram.
 Graphical method partial miscible systems

3rd Step: Location of Extract E1

Extract is at equilibrium: it lies on the
equilibrium curve on the extract side

Extract and raffinate come from the

split of mixing point M

A straight line from RN through M at the

intersection of the equilibrium curve will
locate E1
RN and E1 flow rates can be
obtained from mass balances or
inverse lever-arm rule

E1 MRN RN ME1 S
 
M E1 RN M E1 RN
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 Graphical method partial miscible systems

Location of operating point:

1) Draw two straight lines through the point
pairs E1-F and RN-S
2) Extrapolate the line until intersection: point P

The lines draw through pair of points of

passing streams extrapolated to P:
Operating lines

S
ATTENTION:
P can be located inside or outside the diagram, on the raffinate
or extract phase depending on F and S flow and tie-lines slopes
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 Graphical method partial miscible systems

Construction of additional tie-lines and operating lines:

1. Additional tie-lines: interpolation of

experimental or predicted tie-line data
2. Ei and Ri always lie on a tie-line at equilibrium
3. After reaching equilibrium: we move to the next
stage through the difference point, in between
two consecutive stages

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 Graphical method partial miscible systems

Determining number of stages:

Reaching Rn composition: end of the cascade

Number of stages: 6

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 Graphical method partially miscible systems

• Number of theoretical stages: draw

staircase in the ternary diagram
• Number of real stages:
𝑁𝑡ℎ with: E  N oy
𝑁𝑠 = 0
N oy  1
𝐸0
koy   y  A
And number of transfer units: N oy 
R

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 Minimum solvent-to-feed ratio
S is not specified: E1 is not fixed F  Smin  RN  Emax  M
Minimum amount of solvent: E1 is the highest
Operation line RN-S is fixed
Operation line F-Emax lies on a tie-line xi ,M  M  xi , F  F  yi ,S  Smin

An infinite number of stages would be required

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 Finite number of stages

For a minimum solvent ratio (S/F)min, an infinite number of stages is required

A solvent flow rate greater than (S/F)min must be selected

Reasonable value: S = 1.5 Smin

A maximum S/F is reached when M lies on the equilibrium

curve: no raffinate is obtained

S S S

    
 F  min  F   F  max

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 Example 1
F = 1000 kg/h, xac,F = 45%, xac,R = 10%

Extraction with pure ethyl acetate

S FM 1
     0.25
  min
F M S 4

Smin  0.25  F  250kg / h

S  1.5  Smin  375kg / h

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 Example 1
F = 1000 kg/h, xac,F = 45%, xac,R = 10%
S FM 375
   
Extraction with pure ethyl acetate F MS 1000

S FM 1
FM  0.375MS
     0.25
  min
F M S 4

Smin  0.25  F  250kg / h

S  1.5  Smin  375kg / h

S
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 Example 1

Reaching 10% acetone in the last raffinate

Number of stages: 6

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 Example 2

• Feed (5 kg/h) contains 45% xylene and 55% octane

• Extraction of xylene using pure sulfolane
• Raffinate should contain only 5% xylene

• What is Smin?
• What is N at S = 1.5.Smin?
• What are the size and
composition of E and R?

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 Example 2

• Draw F, S, R and Emax in ternary diagram

• Determine M → (S/F)min = 0.75, so Smin = 3.75 kg/h

• S = 5.615 kg/h → find new M

• Draw E and P
• Determine number of stages: N = 4-5

• Read composition E1 and R4:

• E1 (xoct = 0.02, xsulf = 0.74, xxyl = 0.24)
• R5 (xoct = 0.95, xsulf = 0.00, xxyl = 0.05)
• Mass balances: F + S = R + E and xxyl,F.F = xxyl,R.R + xxyl,E.E
• Solving: E1 = 9.05 kg/h and R5 = 1.6 kg/h
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