SOLVENT EXTRACTION EXAMPLE

The following example is designed for Metsim users who have had a moderate amount of practice with
creating flowsheet models using basic unit operations, controllers and chemistry. It has been written as
such and may be inappropriate for beginners.

1. Add the following components to the User Component Database:

Cu(s), CuSO4(a), H2SO4(a), Organic Decane (C10H22 - YAWS)
Using Edit Components, copy and paste two additional Decane components for a total of three.
Edit the first Decane and insert the following information:

The second and third Decane components also need to be edited and are seen below:
 The component list should appear as follows:

2. Create the flowsheet as is seen below.

Note: It is extremely important that the inputs and outputs for each unit operation are exactly
as shown and that the unit operations are numbered the same. The functionality of the Solvent
Extraction unit operations depends on which inlets/outlets are being utilized. Streams 12 and
32 are the overflows, top outlet, of the tanks and streams 11 and 31 are entering the tanks in
the Makeup input.
3. In stream 1, enter 225 M3/HR of aqueous solution with the following composition.

4. In stream 11, enter 1 KG/HR of organic solution composed of 80% w/w kerosene and 20% w/w
extractant. Copy the stream data from stream 11 and paste into streams 13 – 17. This step sets
the basis for the organic loop and will be altered accordingly during calculation.

5. In unit operation 2 (TNK), under the Tank tab, check the box next to Adjust makeup to satisfy
OS2+OS3+OS4, excess to overflow. This will adjust stream 11 to keep the organic loop in
balance. Do the same for unit operation 5 (TNK) to adjust stream 31.
6. Place a FFC Feed Forward Control on stream 13 and input the following parameters:

7. Open each Solvent Extraction unit operation to set the default parameters and calculate the
section. The volumetric flow rate of stream 13 should be equal to that of stream 1.

8. In unit operation 3 (SEX), under the Settler tab, enter a value of 100 for both PO and PA to
represent the ppm of entrainment for the aqueous and organic. Under the Reactions tab, enter
the following reaction and set the extent to 0.7:
1 CuSO4 + 2 hEXTR = 1 hEXTR Cu + 1H2SO4
Copy and paste unit operation 3 parameters and chemistry into unit operation 4.

9. In unit operation 6 (SEX), under the Settler tab, enter a value of 100 for both PO and PA. Under
the Reactions tab, enter the following reaction and set the extent to 0.7.
1 hEXTR Cu + 1 H2SO4 = 1 CuSO4 + 2 hEXTR
Copy and paste unit operation 6 parameters and chemistry to unit operation 7.

10. In stream 31, enter 50 M3/HR of aqueous solution which contains 150 gpl H2SO4, 35 gpl Cu (in
CuSO4) and water. Copy and paste stream 31 data into stream 33.

11. Place a FBC Feedback Control on stream 33 with the following parameters:
12. Calculate the section. Stream 35 now contains 50 gpl of Cu.

13. Add a new section to the flowsheet and set up as seen below. Just as before in step 3, please
ensure that all of the inlets and outlets for streams match exactly as shown below (streams 55
and 58 are the overflows, top outlet, from unit operations 9 and 11 and streams 56 and 60 are
makeups).
14. For unit operations 9 and 11, check the box next to the Adjust makeup to satisfy OS2+OS3+OS4,
excess to overflow box under the Tank tab.

15. Enter in 1 KG/HR of water in streams 51, 56 and 59. Then, place a FRC Flow Rate Control on
stream 51 and provide the following parameters:
16. Set the parameters in the Electrolytic Cell as seen in the screens below:
 Also, add the following reaction in the Electrolytic Cell with a reaction extent of 0.15:
2 CuSO4 + 2 H2O = 2 Cu + 2 H2SO4 + 1 O2

17. Enter 1 KG/HR of water in stream 60. Calculate the section.

18. Place a FBC Feedback Control next to the Electrolytic Cell and set the parameters as seen:
19. In the Electrolytic Cell, under the Controls tab, place the expression CD ← VCTL 4 in the CtB field
to set the current density in the cell equal to the set point in control number 4. Calculate the
section. The current density in the electrolytic cell should be set to approximately 280 A/m2
and stream 54 should contain 35 gpl Cu.

20. Enter 1 KG/HR of 98% H2SO4 in stream 61. Place a FBC Feedback Control on stream 61 with the
following parameters:
21. Calculate the section. Once converged, calculate the entire flowsheet.

22. Isotherms may be added to the extractor mixer-settlers to adjust the reaction extents in order to
model the Cu recovery based on available data. For this example, a very simple isotherm will be
created in Microsoft Excel and transferred to Metsim. Create the following data in Excel:

Aqueous Cu gpl Organic Cu gpl

0 0
2 5
4 9
6 12
10 16
16 18
20 20

23. In Metsim, click on the User Created Objects button and create a new matrix titled UMSXI. In
the Description field, enter ‘SX Isotherm.’ Copy the data from Excel and paste into the blank
field (the titles need not be included, only the data).

24. In the two extractors (unit operations 3 and 4), enter the following data in the Isotherms tab:

25. Calculate the entire flowsheet. The reaction extents will be adjusted in the extractors to fit the
isotherm created.