ML T ML T ML T ML T ML T R L T MT: Separation Columns (Distillation, Absorption and Extraction)

SEPARATION COLUMNS (DISTILLATION, ABSORPTION AND EXTRACTION) 629
Pt Total plate pressure drop ML1 T2

p Partial pressure ML1 T2
q Heat to vaporise one mol of feed divided by molar latent heat
qb Heat supplied to reboiler ML2 T3
qc Heat removed in condenser ML2 T3
qn Heat supplied to or removed from stage n ML2 T3
R Universal gas constant L2 T2 q1
R Reflux ratio
R Raffinate flow-rate MT1
Rm Minimum reflux ratio
r Raffinate composition
S Extracting solvent flow-rate MT1
Si Stripping factor
Sn Side stream flow from stage n MT1
Sr Stripping factor for rectifying section (equation 11.54)
Ss Stripping factor for stripping section (equation 11.54)
s Slope of operating line
s Solvent composition
tL Liquid contact time T
tr Residence time in downcomer T
ua Vapour velocity based on active area LT1
uf Vapour velocity at flooding point LT1
uh Vapour velocity through holes LT1
un Vapour velocity based on net cross-sectional area LT1
uv Superficial vapour velocity (based on total cross-sectional area) LT1
V Vapour flow-rate mols per unit time MT1
Ve Estimated flow-rate of combined keys, vapour MT1
Vw Vapour mass flow-rate MT1
VŁw Vapour mass flow-rate per unit area ML2 T1
vi Limiting vapour flow-rates of components lighter than the keys
in the rectifying section MT1
v0i Limiting vapour flow-rates of components heavier than the keys
in the stripping section MT1
vn Molar vapour flow-rate of component from stage n MT1
x Mol fraction of component in liquid phase
xA Mol fraction of component A in binary mixture
xB Mol fraction of component B in binary mixture
xb Mol fraction of component in bottom product
xd Mol fraction of component in distillate
xe Equilibrium concentration
xi Mol fraction of component i
xr Concentration of reference component (equation 11.57)
xnŁ Reference concentration in equation 11.30
xoŁ Reference concentration in equation 11.30
x1 Concentration of solute in solution at column base
x2 Concentration of solute in solution at column top
xr Reference concentration equations 11.25 and 11.26
y Mol fraction of component in vapour phase
yA Mol fraction of component A in a binary mixture
yB Mol fraction of component B in a binary mixture
ye Equilibrium concentration
yi Mol fraction of component i
y Concentration driving force in the gas phase
ylm Log mean concentration driving force
y1 Concentration of solute in gas phase at column base
y2 Concentration of solute in gas phase at column top
Z Height of packing L
630 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Zc Liquid hold-up on plate L

ZL Length of liquid path L
zi Mol fraction of component i in feed stream
zf Mol fraction of component in feed stream
Ł
zf Pseudo feed concentration defined by equation 11.41
˛ Relative volatility
˛i Relative volatility of component i
˛a Average relative volatility of light key
ˇ Parameter defined by equation 11.31
Root of equation 11.61
Dynamic viscosity ML1 T1
a Molar average liquid viscosity ML1 T1
s Viscosity of solvent ML1 T1
w Viscosity of water at 20° C ML1 T1
Density ML3
w Density of water at 20° C ML3
Surface tension MT2
c Critical surface tension for packing material MT2
w Surface tension of water at 20° C MT2
 Intercept of operating line on Y axis
n Factor in equation 11.43
Fractional entrainment
h Factor in equation 11.42
Dg Surface tension number
Pe Peclet number
Re Reynolds number
Sc Schmidt number
Suffixes
L Liquid
v Vapour
HK Heavy key
LK Light key
b Bottoms
d Distillate (Tops)
f Feed
i Component number
n Stage number
1 Base of packed column
2 Top of packed column
Superscripts
0 Stripping section of column
Subscripts
m Last stage
n Stage number
11.19. PROBLEMS
11.1. At a pressure of 10 bar, determine the bubble and dew point of a mixture of
hydrocarbons, composition, mol per cent: n-butane 21, n-pentane 48, n-hexane 31.
The equilibrium K factors can be estimated using the De Priester charts in
Chapter 8.
11.2. The feed to a distillation column has the following composition, mol per cent:
propane 5.0, isobutane 15, n-butane 25, isopentane 20, n-pentane 35. The feed is
SEPARATION COLUMNS (DISTILLATION, ABSORPTION AND EXTRACTION) 631
Ž
preheated to a temperature of 90 C, at 8.3 bar pressure. Estimate the proportion
of the feed which is vapour.
The equilibrium K factors are given in Example 11.9.
11.3. Propane is separated from propylene by distillation. The compounds have close
boiling points and the relative volatility will be low. For a feed composition of
10 per cent w/w propane, 90 per cent w/w propylene, estimate the number of
theoretical plates needed to produce propylene overhead with a minimum purity
of 99.5 mol per cent. The column will operate with a reflux ratio of 20. The
feed will be at its boiling point. Take the relative volatility as constant at 1.1.
11.4. The composition of the feed to a debutaniser is given below. Make a preliminary
design for a column to recover 98 per cent of the n-butane overhead and 95 per
cent of the isopentane from the column base. The column will operate at 14
bar and the feed will be at its boiling point. Use the short-cut methods and
follow the procedure set out below. Use the De Priester charts to determine the
relative volatility. The liquid viscosity can be estimated using the data given in
Appendix D.
(a) Investigate the effect of reflux ratio on the number of theoretical stages.
(b) Select the optimum reflux ratio.
(c) Determine the number of stages at this reflux ratio.
(d) Estimate the stage efficiency.
(e) Determine the number of real stages.
(f) Estimate the feed point.
(g) Estimate the column diameter.
Feed composition:
kg/h
propane C3 910
isobutane i-C4 180
n-butane n-C4 270
isopentane i-C5 70
normal pentane n-C5 90
normal hexane n-C6 20
11.5. In a process for the manufacture of acetone, acetone is separated from acetic
acid by distillation. The feed to the column is 60 mol per cent acetone, the
balance acetic acid.
The column is to recover 95 per cent of the acetone in the feed with a purity of
99.5 mol per cent acetone. The column will operate at a pressure of 760 mmHg
and the feed will be preheated to 70 Ž C.
For this separation, determine:
(a) the number of minimum number of stages required,
(b) the minimum reflux ratio,
(c) the number of theoretical stages for a reflux ratio 1.5 times the minimum,
(d) the number of actual stages if the plate efficiency can be taken as 60 per cent.
632 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Equilibrium data for the system acetone acetic acid, at 760 mmHg, mol
fractions acetone:
liquid
phase 0.10 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9
vapour
phase 0.31 0.56 0.73 0.84 0.91 0.95 0.97 0.98 0.99
boiling
point Ž C 103.8 93.1 85.8 79.7 74.6 70.2 66.1 62.6 59.2
Reference: Othmer, D. F. Ind. Eng. Chem. 35, 614 (1943).
11.6. In the manufacture of absolute alcohol by fermentation, the product is separated
and purified using several stages of distillation. In the first stage, a mixture of
5 mol per cent ethanol in water, with traces of acetaldehyde and fusel oil, is
concentrated to 50 mol per cent. The concentration of alcohol in the wastewater
is reduced to less than 0.1 mol per cent.
Design a sieve plate column to perform this separation, for a feed rate of
10,000 kg/hour. Treat the feed as a binary mixture of ethanol and water.
Take the feed temperature as 20 Ž C. The column will operate at 1 atmosphere.
Determine:
(a) the number of theoretical stages,
(b) an estimate of the stage efficiency,
(c) the number of actual stages needed.
Design a suitable sieve plate for conditions below the feed point.
Equilibrium data for the system ethanol water, at 760 mmHg, mol fractions
ethanol:
liquid
phase 0.019 0.072 0.124 0.234 0.327 0.508 0.573 0.676 0.747 0.894
vapour
phase 0.170 0.389 0.470 0.545 0.583 0.656 0.684 0.739 0.782 0.894
boiling
point
Ž
C 95.5 89.0 85.3 82.7 81.5 79.8 79.3 78.7 78.4 78.2
Reference: Carey, J. S. and Lewis, W. K. Ind. Eng. Chem. 24, 882 (1932).
11.7. In the manufacture of methyl ethyl ketone from butanol, the product is separated
from unreacted butanol by distillation. The feed to the column consists of a
mixture of 0.90 mol fraction MEK, 0.10 mol fraction 2-butanol, with a trace of
trichloroethane.
The feed rate to the column is 20 kmol/h and the feed temperature 35 Ž C. The
specifications required are: top product 0.99 mol fraction MEK; bottom product
0.99 mol fraction butanol.
Design a column for this separation. The column will operate at essentially
atmospheric pressure. Use a reflux ratio 1.5 times the minimum.
(a) determine the minimum reflux ratio,
(b) determine the number of theoretical stages,

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SEPARATION COLUMNS (DISTILLATION, ABSORPTION AND EXTRACTION) 629

Pt Total plate pressure drop ML1 T2

Zc Liquid hold-up on plate L

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