Lixivation (solid-liquid extraction)

Components of the extraction

Extract (liquid part = solute + solvent)
Waste (solid part = non dissolved solids)

Many biological organic and inorganic substances occur in a mixture of different components in a solid. In
order to separate the desired solute constituent or remove an undesirable solute component from the solid
phase, the solid is brought into contact with a liquid. The solid and liquid are in contact and the solute or
solutes can diffuse from the solid into the solvent, resulting in separation of the components originally in the
solid. This separation process is called liquid-solid leaching or simply leaching. Because in leaching the
solute is being extracted from the solid this is also called extraction. In leaching, when an undesirable
component is removed from a solid with water, the process is called washing.
Overview
Solid-liquid extraction or leaching generally refers to the removal of a component from a solid using a
solvent liquid. The desired component, solute (A), is washed by the solvent (C) leaving the inert or insoluble
solid (B) undissolved. Two phases result, the overflow, V, which is a clear solution of the solute and solvent
and the underflow, L, which is the undissolved solid with some solution adhering to it. At equilibrium, the
solution adhering in the underflow has the same composition as the overflow.
In leaching, the liquid is very important as it facilitates the ability to remove (or extract) a given substance
from a solid matrix.
Leaching or solid-liquid extraction is a process of removing a solute or solutes from a solid by the use of
liquid solvent. The presence of a solid phase distinguishes it from liquid-liquid extraction.
The components transferred from the solid to the liquid phase are called solutes, while the insoluble solid
is called inert.
In leaching when an undesirable component is removed from a solid with water, the process is called
washing.
Leaching Equipment
1. Stationary Solid Beds
2. Moving Bed Leaching (HILDEBRANDT EXTRACTOR)
3. Dispersed-Solid Leaching
Robust strong; Working in an effective way; effective or productive
Percolation ("Liquid added to solids") - The solvent is contacted with the solid in a continuous or batch
method . This method is popular for in-place ore leaching or large scale "heap" leaching. Popular for
extreme amounts of solids.
Dispersed Solids ("Solids added to liquid") - The solids are usually crushed into small pieces before
being contacted with solvents . This is a popular leaching method when an especially high recovery rate
can economically justify the typically higher operating cost (Ex/ gold extraction)
In leaching it is assumed that there is sufficient solvent present so that all the solute in the entering solid
can be dissolved into the liquid, equilibrium is reached when the solute is dissolved. Hence, all the solute is
completely dissolved in the first stage. It is also assumed that the solid is insoluble, and no adsorption will
happen for the solute in the solid, meaning that the solution in the liquid phase leaving a stage is the same
as the solution remaining with the solid matrix in the settled slurry leaving the same stage. The settled solid
leaving a stage always contains some liquid. This solid-liquid stream is called the underflow or slurry
stream. The liquid is called the overflow stream. The concentration of oil or solute in the overflow stream
is equal to that in the liquid solution accompanying the slurry or underflow stream. Hence, on an xy plot the
equilibrium line is on the 45o line.

Discontinuous Extractor - The discontinuous extractors are practical only with small volumes of solution
and if the material to be extracted has a distribution coefficient favoring the extraction.

Percolation is an extraction process that involves the slow descent of a solvent through a powdered
substance until it absorbs certain constituents and drips out through the filtered bottom of the container. A
common example of percolation is making fresh coffee through a paper filter.
In coffee percolation, soluble compounds leave the coffee grounds and join the water to form coffee.
Insoluble compounds (and granulates) remain within the coffee filter.
Percolation (from Latin perclre, "to filter" or "trickle through") refers to the movement and filtering of
fluids through porous materials.
it comes from the Latin word percolare, which means "to strain through." it happens when liquid is strained
through a filter, like when someone makes coffee

Coffee percolation, where the solvent is water, the permeable substance is the coffee grounds, and
the soluble constituents are the chemical compounds that give coffee its color, taste, and aroma

Miscella a solution or mixture containing an extracted oil or grease

The immersion process is used where oil has to be obtained from a matrix that is not easy to extract, as is
the case where there are large amounts of unrefined fibre in the extraction material.
In the immersion process, the entire quantity of seed from which material is to be extracted is immersed in
solvent. The design of the system means that there are no forced movements, ensuring that oil-saturated
solvent (miscella) is constantly being exchanged with fresh solvent. The static system therefore needs to be
stirred, in order to balance out any differences in concentration. Stirring inevitably causes abrasion of the
extraction material, so the miscella has subsequently to be filtered out.
The discontinuous extractors are practical only with small volumes of solution and if the material to be
extracted has a distribution coefficient favoring the extraction. In the usual continuous extractor heat is
employed to vaporize the extracting solvent. The major difficulties with this type of extractor are destruction
of extracted material by the long continued heating and the use of low boiling solvents with attendant large
losses due to failure to effect complete condensation. If higher boiling solvents
and reduced pressure are employed, an elaborate set-up or constant supervision is required to maintain a
proper balance between rate of heating and amount of pressure. The continuous extractor in which heat is
not employed is not often used in laboratory practice because a rotary pump, rocking apparatus, and other
elaborate equipment are required to circulate the extracting solvent.

Continuous extraction
Extraction (leaching) of solids by liquid that cycles continuously countercurrent to the material it is depleting
of the sought value (e.g., gold in cyanide process), the pregnant liquid at a certain stage being stripped of
value and returned as barren solution.
Countercurrent distribution, in chemistry, a multistage solvent-extraction process, one of many
separation methods that can be employed in chemical analysis.
Substances are separated by this method on the basis of their different solubilities in two immiscible liquids.
These two liquids, flowing in opposite directions, are brought into contact, mixed, and allowed to separate.
The upper layer is transferred off in one direction and the lower in another; this cycle of operations may be
repeated as many times as necessary to effect the desired separation.
http://studenti.di3.units.it/Impianti%20chimici/02%20Script%20Extraction.pdf
http://gustavheess.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=58&Itemid=84&lang=en
https://www.mindat.org/glossary/continuous_extraction
https://www.britannica.com/science/countercurrent-distribution
Hildebrandt Extractor
o Two vertical cylindrical towers.
o Horizontal cylinder at the base which connects the two towers.
o Endless screw moves with perforated fins.
o Used as oil, soya bean flakes and sugar extractor.

Bonotto Extractor
o Single vertical tower.
o Horizontal plates divide the tower in sections.
o Solid goes from top to bottom.
o Used for oil extraction of seed and nuts.

Extraction of sugar from beetroot

o Solvent used is hot water.
o Preparation of the beetroot to prevent cellular damage.
o The Bonotto extractor is the most common machinery for this process.
o Process start at 55C end at 85C, this higher temperature causes an undesired event.
o Different processes take place for the sugar crystal achievement.
o 15% concentrated solution of solvent solids after the lixiviation.
Discontinuous Apparatus

1. Pot extractor
The extractor has a volume of 2 to 10 m 3 and the installed mixer is necessary to
guarantee good mixing for treatment of fine materials. For structures materials the
mixer is only used for evaporation of the solvent and for emptying the extractor.

2. Rotating extractor
The extractor is filled with extraction material and solvent and starts then to
rotate. The installation of heating worms and the use of a double jacket gives the
possibility to evaporate the solvent at the end of the extraction cycle. By using a
special form of the heating worms they can act as mixer during the extraction period.

The advantage of discontinuous extractors is the simple and robust construction of the
apparatus. Disadvantages are the limited capacity and the discontinuous output of product.

I. Continuous extraction

For the continuous operating extraction, following processes are available:

1. Percolating Process:

The solvent passes through the non-moving solid material and extracts
the soluble substances. The basic for this process is that the material has good
percolating properties, which means that the solvent can pass easily the solid
material. The advantage of this method is that the mechanical treatment of the
solid material is low because of no movement and further during the passing
through of the solution a self-filtration takes places resulting in a minimum
content of fine solid particles in the extract solution.

2. Immersion method

For this process, the solid materials dip completely into the solvent and
are mixed with this. Therefore, no special percolation properties of the solid
material are necessary. The disadvantage of this method is that no self-filtration
of the extract solution takes place and therefore a filtration step has to be
installed before the distillation step.

Generally, it is the aim to combine the advantages of both methods.

The advantages of the continuous operating extraction process are:
Large amount of solid material can be treated in apparatus of compact size
Even at low residual content of active agents in the residual material extract
solutions with high active agent concentrations are produces with a low amount
of solvent
 Short extraction times because no dead times arise as for the discontinuous
process
Low content of fine solid particles in the extract solution so that this solution has
not be filtrated before further treatment
An optimal heat balance is achieved if for evaporation of the solvent the heat
amount of the exhaust vapour is used

Continuous extraction apparatus

1. Continuous horizontal extractor

The solid material is given into baskets and is contacted by the

percolation method with solvent. The flow of the solvent through the extractor is
counter current to the solid material flow.

2. Hildebrandt extractor

The solid material is extracted according to the immersion method. Screw

conveyors are installed in the extractor for transporting the solid material. Again,
the solvent flows counter current to the solid materials through the extractor.

3. Bonotto extractor

Is used for counter current extraction following the immersion method.

The solid material is transported by the mixer on the tray until it reaches the open
sector where the solid material falls down on the next tray. The screw conveyor at
the outlet withdraws the extracted solid material (underflow) and prevents the
following out of the solution from the extractor.