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INDEX:
SR. NO. CONTENT PAGE NO.
1. INTRODUCTION 2–4
2. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 5
3. EXPERIMENTAL MANUAL 6–7
4. SAMPLE CALCULATIONS 8–9
5. PRECAUTIONS 10
6. LINE DIAGRAM 11
7. WIRING DIAGRAM 12

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INTRODUCTION:

Mass transfer form solids to liquids with its consequent concentration gradients on a multi
directional basis do not lend itself except in the simplest cases to the normal treatment by
unidirectional diffusion transfer.

If a control surface, S, enclosing a volume, V, of solid in a fluid stream can be considered, and
if mass transfer of a component, A, is taking place from the solid by diffusion, there will be a mass
flow GA per unit area at any point on the surface which may be expressed by equation

GA = -DSL grad CA (1)

Where CA is the concentration of A (mass A/ unit vol. of fluid).

The rate of accumulation of A at the surface S is given by


 V C A dV (2)
t

The rate of outflow of A across the surface by convection for bulk velocity u of the fluid is given by,

 S C A udS =  V div ( C A
u ) dV (3)

The rate of outflow of A by diffusion across the surface is given by

SG A
dS =  V divG A
dV (4)

Substituting for GA = -V DSL 2CA dV

Then a mass balance gives

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
 V C A dV = −  dW ( C A u ) dV +  D SL  C A dV
2
(5)
t

For an infinitesimal volume,

C
+ div ( C A u ) = DSLi2CA
A
(6)
t

C
+ uCA+ CAdivu = DSL 2CA
A
(7)
t

If the fluid is incompressible div u = 0 and this equation becomes

C A
+ uCA = DSL 2CA (8)
t

this is the basic mass transfer equation. With steady conditions

uCA = DSL2CA
If L is a representative length in the system, a volume mass transfer coefficient could be defined by

G
KV =
A
(9)
C A

where CA is the overall difference of concentration for the case considered and where u is a
representative velocity of the mixture.

Expressing the basic equation for mass transfer in this dimensionless form in terms of the density,
velocity, time and distance, the following equation is derived.

C
+ uCA = DSL 2CA/ UL
A
(10)
t
The mass transfer pattern then depends on

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 UL   u 
  
   (11)
     D SL 
or is proportional to (Reynolds Number) (Schmidt Number)

The mass transfer by forced convection in geometrically similar systems can be given by

KV L KV
= =  (Re)( Sc )
(12)
D SL U

Thus, it should be possible to plot values of KV/ U (Sc)-1 versus Reynolds Number to obtain
some correlation for the leaching process. A series of experiments have demonstrated that the value
of the exponent of the Schmidt number should be around 2/3.
Although this method of percolation leaching is, in reality, a complicated unsteady state operation, a
simple treatment can be devised which amounts to adopting a frame of reference, which moves with
mass transfer zone in the fixed bed. With this approach and by experimentally determining the
logarithmic mean concentration driving force and the total mass transfer rate per unit area in unit
time, experimental values could be obtained for the volume mass transfer coefficient KV = KC aV
where aV = interfacial surface area of contact per unit volume of bed.

 
 C − C A2 
= K VV  
A1
N A (13)
 ln C A 1 
 C A2 

where,
CA1 = initial concentration solute in bed
CA2 = final concentration solute in solvent
V = volume of bed
NA = mass transferred per unit time per unit cross sectional area of bed.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
The equipment consists mainly of the following:

Percolation Leacher:
MOC : Borosil Glass
ID : 75 mm
OD : 85 mm
Height : 500 mm
Leaching Bag:
MOC : Cotton Bag
Diameter : 50 mm
Height : 300 mm
SS 304 end caps at the either ends of the column.
Solvent Tank:
MOC : SS 304
Capacity : 30 liters
Heater : Immersion Type, 1 kW controlled by thermostat
Solvent feed pump:
Type : Magnetic pump made of polypropylene (FHP)
Flow Rate : 30 LPM
Rotameter:
Capacity : 0.3 - 3.0 LPM
• Control Panel consists of on/off switches and indicator lamps for heater and pump.
• The whole setup is mounted on good quality painted MS framework.

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LEACHING EXPERIMENT MANUAL

AIM:
To determine the percentage recovery of NaOH by leaching operation.
APPARATUS:
Leaching column including sparger and cotton bag, magnetic pump, Rotameter
CHEMICALS:
Water as a solvent, CaCO3, NaOH, 0.1 N HCl solution.
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:
• Take a mixture of 50 gm of NaOH(C) and 50 gm of CaCo3 (B) into percolation leacher.
• These are placed in the cotton bag and inserted into percolation leacher.
• The solvent tank is filled with liters of chosen solvent (especially water, A, carbon
tetrachloride, tri-chloro-ethylene or acetone) and the electric heater is switched on.
• Set the thermostat at the desired temperature (42oC) and wait till the temperature is
reached.
• Switch ON the pump and allow the solvent to enter into the percolation leacher at
fairly slow rate by operating bypass and supply valve for about 1 hr collect the solute-
solvent mixer from the outlet.
• The time is taken from the instant that solvent enters the bed of the leacher.
• A sample of the mixed solute-solvent is taken at 1 hr from the exit of the bed and
titrate the sample with the 0.1 N HCL solution.
• Calculate percentage recovery of sodium hydroxide.
OBSERVATION:
Room temperature:
Operating temp.:
Feed: CaCo3+ NaOH flakes
F = ________ gm

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Solvent: Water, R = ______ gm

Insoluble solid (CaCo3) = ______ gm
BASIS: Original mixture containing ______Kg CaCO3 [A] and ______Kg NaOH[C]
Weight of NaOH in the Feed, W = _______ GM
Volume of clear solution collected, VC = _____ ml

OBSERVATION TABLE
Weight of Weight of
Weight of CaCO3 % Recovery of
Sample NaOH Water
(B) gm NaOH
(C) gm (A) gm
1.

CALCULATIONS:
Analysis of clear solution:
Sample volume, V1 = _____ ml
Burette reading, V2 = _____ ml
Normality of Std. HCl solution, N2 = _____ N
Normality of clear solution N1 = N2  V2 / V1
= _____ N
Amount of NaOH in clear solution = Normality  Volume of the clear solution  Eq. Weight of
NaOH
W1 = _____ gm
Percentage Recovery = W1 /W x 100
= ______ %
RESULT:

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SAMPLE CALCULATIONS
OBSERVATION:
Room temperature : 25 0C
Operating temp : 42 0C
Feed : CaCO3+ NaOH flakes
F = 187.5 gm + 150 gm =337.5 gm.
Solvent: Water, R = 784gm
Insoluble solid = 271.5 gm
BASIS: Original mixture containing 0.1875 Kg CaCO3 [A] and 0.150 Kg NaOH[C]
Weight of NaOH in the Feed, W =150 GM
Volume of clear solution collected, VC = 790ml

OBSERVATION TABLE:
Sample Weight of CaCO3 Weight of Weight of % Recovery of
(B) gm NaOH (C) gm Water (A) gm NaOH /Stage
1 187.5 150 784 44.24

CALCULATIONS:
Analysis of clear solution:
Sample volume, V1 = 5 ml
Burette reading, V2 = 105 ml
Normality of Std. HCl solution, N2 = 0.1 N
Normality of clear solution N1 = N2  V2 / V1
= 0.1 X 105/5
= 2.1 N

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Amount of NaOH in clear solution W1

W1 = Normality  Volume of the clear solution  Eq. Weight of NaOH
W1 = (2.1)  (0.790)  (40)
W1 = 66.36 gm

Percentage Recovery = W1 /W X 100

= 66.36 / 150 *100
Percentage Recovery = 44.24%

RESULT:
Percentage Recovery of NaOH is 44.24%

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PRECAUTIONS:
• Never heat water/chemical more than 45 o C for smooth operation.
• Always take note of weight of NaOH and CaCO3.
• Enter feed at fairly slow rate for smooth operation.
• Take out Leaching cloth after completion of experiment and wash it with clean
to remove any traces of CaCO3 and NaOH.
• Drain all Water/Chemical from feed tank with the help of Drain valve provided
at the bottom of the tank.
• Fill clean water in to feed tank and run it into column to remove any traces of
chemical.
• Clean feed tank with clean water and dry it with cotton cloth.

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