Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering
Instructor: Hanieh Safari, Ph.D.
Lecture 9: Continuous Distillation Calculations
1
Ponchon-Savarit Method
• Example: 1000 kg/hr of a mixture containing 42 mole percent heptane and 58
mole percent ethyl benzene is to be fractionated to a distillate containing 97
mole percent heptane and a residue containing 99 mole percent ethyl benzene
using a total condenser and feed at its saturated liquid condition. The enthalpy-
concentration data for heptane-ethyl benzene at 1 atm pressure are shown
below. Calculate: 1. Minimum number of stages at total reflux 2. Number of
stages, condenser duty, and the reboiler duty at reflux ratio of 2.5.
2
Ponchon-Savarit Method
• Example: 1000 kg/hr of a mixture containing 42 mole percent heptane and 58
mole percent ethyl benzene is to be fractionated to a distillate containing 97
mole percent heptane and a residue containing 99 mole percent ethyl benzene
using a total condenser and feed at its saturated liquid condition. The enthalpy-
concentration data for heptane-ethyl benzene at 1 atm pressure are shown
below. Calculate: 1. Minimum number of stages at total reflux 2. Number of
stages, condenser duty, and the reboiler duty at reflux ratio of 2.5.
𝑘𝑔
𝑔 𝑔 1000
𝑀𝑊# = 0.42 100 + 1 − 0.42 106 = 103.48 , 𝐹= ℎ = 9.6637 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙/
𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑚𝑜𝑙 103.48 𝑘𝑔/𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙
1
0.95 y
Enthalpy-Concentration diagram 0.9
0.85
70 0.8
𝐺> = 0.97 0.75
60 0.7
50 0.65
0.6
40 0.55
HL, HG
0.5
y
30 0.45
20 0.4
𝐿> = 0.955 0.35
10 0.3
0.25
0
𝑥; =
0 0.01
0.1 0.2 0.3
𝑥 = 0.420.6
0.4 # 0.5 0.7 0.8 0.9 𝑥< 1= 0.97
0.2
0.15
x,y 0.1
0.05
0
HL HG 2 per. Mov. Avg. (HL) 2 per. Mov. Avg. (HG) 0 0.050.10.150.20.250.30.350.40.450.50.550.60.650.70.750.80.850.90.95 1
x
3
Ponchon-Savarit Method
• Example: 1000 kg/hr of a mixture containing 42 mole percent heptane and 58
mole percent ethyl benzene is to be fractionated to a distillate containing 97
mole percent heptane and a residue containing 99 mole percent ethyl benzene
using a total condenser and feed at its saturated liquid condition. The enthalpy-
concentration data for heptane-ethyl benzene at 1 atm pressure are shown
below. Calculate: 1. Minimum number of stages at total reflux 2. Number of
stages, condenser duty, and the reboiler duty at reflux ratio of 2.5.
𝑘𝑔
𝑔 𝑔 1000
𝑀𝑊# = 0.42 100 + 1 − 0.42 106 = 103.48 , 𝐹= ℎ = 9.6637 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙/
𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑚𝑜𝑙 103.48 𝑘𝑔/𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙
1
0.95 y
Enthalpy-Concentration diagram 0.9
0.85
150 0.8
∆< 0.75
130 0.7
110 0.65
0.6
90 0.55
HL, HG
70 0.5
y
𝐺> 0.45
50 0.4
30 𝐿> = 0.955 0.35
0.3
10 0.25
𝑥-10 𝑥# = 0.42 𝑥< 1= 0.97
0.2
; =0 0.010.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.15
x,y 0.1
0.05
0
HL HG 2 per. Mov. Avg. (HL) 2 per. Mov. Avg. (HG) 0 0.050.10.150.20.250.30.350.40.450.50.550.60.650.70.750.80.850.90.95 1
x
4
Ponchon-Savarit Method
• Example: 1000 kg/hr of a mixture containing 42 mole percent heptane and 58
mole percent ethyl benzene is to be fractionated to a distillate containing 97
mole percent heptane and a residue containing 99 mole percent ethyl benzene
using a total condenser and feed at its saturated liquid condition. The enthalpy-
concentration data for heptane-ethyl benzene at 1 atm pressure are shown
below. Calculate: 1. Minimum number of stages at total reflux 2. Number of
stages, condenser duty, and the reboiler duty at reflux ratio of 2.5.
𝑘𝑔
𝑔 𝑔 1000
𝑀𝑊# = 0.42 100 + 1 − 0.42 106 = 103.48 , 𝐹= ℎ = 9.6637 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙/
𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑚𝑜𝑙 103.48 𝑘𝑔/𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙
1
0.95 y
Enthalpy-Concentration diagram 0.9
0.85
150 0.8
∆< 0.75
130 0.7
110 0.65
0.6
90 0.55
HL, HG
70 0.5
y
𝐺> 0.45
50 0.4
30 𝐿> = 0.955 0.35
0.3
10 0.25
𝑥-10 𝑥# = 0.42 𝑥< 1= 0.97
0.2
; =0 0.010.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.15
x,y 0.1
0.05
0
HL HG 2 per. Mov. Avg. (HL) 2 per. Mov. Avg. (HG) 0 0.050.10.150.20.250.30.350.40.450.50.550.60.650.70.750.80.850.90.95 1
x
5
Ponchon-Savarit Method
• Example: 1000 kg/hr of a mixture containing 42 mole percent heptane and 58
mole percent ethyl benzene is to be fractionated to a distillate containing 97
mole percent heptane and a residue containing 99 mole percent ethyl benzene
using a total condenser and feed at its saturated liquid condition. The enthalpy-
concentration data for heptane-ethyl benzene at 1 atm pressure are shown
below. Calculate: 1. Minimum number of stages at total reflux 2. Number of
stages, condenser duty, and the reboiler duty at reflux ratio of 2.5.
𝑘𝑔
𝑔 𝑔 1000
𝑀𝑊# = 0.42 100 + 1 − 0.42 106 = 103.48 , 𝐹= ℎ = 9.6637 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙/
𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑚𝑜𝑙 103.48 𝑘𝑔/𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙
Enthalpy-Concentration diagram
70
60 𝐺> = 0.97
50
40
HL, HG
30
20
𝐿> = 0.955
10
0
𝑥; =
0 0.01
0.1 0.2 0.3
𝑥 = 0.420.6
0.4 # 0.5 0.7 0.8 0.9 𝑥< 1= 0.97
x,y
HL HG 2 per. Mov. Avg. (HL) 2 per. Mov. Avg. (HG)
6
Ponchon-Savarit Method
• Example: 1000 kg/hr of a mixture containing 42 mole percent heptane and 58
mole percent ethyl benzene is to be fractionated to a distillate containing 97
mole percent heptane and a residue containing 99 mole percent ethyl benzene
using a total condenser and feed at its saturated liquid condition. The enthalpy-
concentration data for heptane-ethyl benzene at 1 atm pressure are shown
below. Calculate: 1. Minimum number of stages at total reflux 2. Number of
stages, condenser duty, and the reboiler duty at reflux ratio of 2.5.
𝐺> = 0.97
7
McCabe-Thiele Method
• Assumes that the liquid and vapor flow rate remain constant within the
rectifying and the stripping section and do not change from tray to tray
K 𝑄 𝐺BE> 𝑦BE> − 𝐿B 𝑥B = 𝐷𝑧<
𝐺>
𝐺BE> − 𝐿B = 𝐷
𝑦>
𝐻G,> 𝐿 𝐷𝑧< 𝐿 𝐷𝑧<
𝑦BE> = 𝑥B + = 𝑥B +
𝐺 𝐺 𝐿+𝐷 𝐿+𝐷
M >
𝐷
𝑦BE> = 𝑥B + 𝑥 (I)
𝐿B 𝐺BE> 𝑧<
𝐻<
ME> ME> <
𝑥B 𝑦BE>
𝐹 𝐻DB 𝐻G,BE>
𝑍#
𝐻# Equation (I) shows a line passing from (𝑥< , 𝑥< ) by a slope
M >
of and a y-intercept of 𝑥 which is the operating line
ME> ME> <
for the top-section
8
McCabe-Thiele Method
• Assumes that the liquid and vapor flow rate remain constant within the
rectifying and the stripping section and do not change from tray to tray
𝑄 K 𝐺BE> 𝑦BE> − 𝐿B 𝑥B = 𝐷𝑧<
𝐺>
𝐺BE> − 𝐿B = 𝐷
𝑦>
𝐻G,> 𝐿 𝐷𝑧< 𝐿 𝐷𝑧<
𝑦BE> = 𝑥B + = 𝑥B +
𝐺 𝐺 𝐿+𝐷 𝐿+𝐷
M >
𝐷
𝑦BE> = 𝑥B + 𝑥 (I)
𝐿B 𝐺BE> 𝑧<
𝐻<
ME> ME> <
𝑥B 𝑦BE>
𝐹 𝐻DB 𝐻G,BE>
𝑍#
𝐻#
Equation (I) shows a line passing from (𝑥< , 𝑥< ) by a slope
M >
of and a y-intercept of 𝑥 which is the operating line
ME> ME> <
for the top-section
9
McCabe-Thiele Method
• Balance around the stripping section:
𝐺NE> + 𝑊 = 𝐿N
𝐿N 𝑥N − 𝐺NE> 𝑦NE> = 𝑊𝑥;
𝐺>
𝑦>
𝐻G,> 𝐿P 𝑊𝑥;
𝑦NE> = 𝑥 −
𝐿P − 𝑊 N 𝐿P − 𝑊
• Shows the operating line of the lower section.
𝐹
𝑍#
𝐻#
𝐿N
𝑥N
𝐺NE> • The line passes from 𝑥; , 𝑥;
𝑦NE>
𝐻DN 𝐻G,NE>
𝑊
𝑥;
𝐻;
𝑄O
10
McCabe-Thiele Method
• The difference between 𝐿P and L is dependent of the condition of the feed
• Define q as the moles of liquid flow added to the bottom of the column per mole of
feed
§ If feed is supercooled it flows in the system as liquid and also liquifies some
of the vapor, thus: q>1
§ If feed is saturated liquid at its bubble point: q=1
§ Feed is partially vapor: 0<q<1
§ Feed is saturated vapor at its dew point: q=0
§ Feed is superheated vapor: q<0
𝐿P − 𝐿 = 𝑞𝐹 G−𝐺̅ = (1 − 𝑞)𝐹
𝐺BE> 𝑦BE> − 𝐿B 𝑥B = 𝐷𝑧< At the intersection of the top and bottom operating
lines: 𝑦NE> = 𝑦BE> = 𝑦 , 𝑥B = 𝑥N = 𝑥
𝐿N 𝑥N − 𝐺NE> 𝑦NE> = 𝑊𝑥;
Subtracting equations leads to: 𝑦( G−𝐺)̅ = (𝐿P − 𝐿)𝑥 + 𝐷𝑧< + 𝑊𝑥;
11
McCabe-Thiele Method
Subtracting equations leads to: 𝑦( G−𝐺)̅ = (𝐿P − 𝐿)𝑥 + 𝐷𝑧< + 𝑊𝑥;
𝑞 𝑥#
𝑦=− x+ : 𝐹𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑥# , 𝑥# 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑤𝑜
1−𝑞 1−𝑞
c
Operating lines with slope of −
>dc
• The stripping section operating line can then be drawn between
the (𝑥; , 𝑥; ) and the found intersection
• The number of stages will then be found by drawing tie-lines and
then operating lines between equilibrium curve and the
operating lines, and switching how the lines are drawn at the
intersection
12
McCabe-Thiele Method
• The stripping section operating line can then be drawn between
the (𝑥; , 𝑥; ) and the found intersection
• The number of stages will then be found by drawing tie-lines and
then operating lines between equilibrium curve and the
operating lines, and switching how the lines are drawn at the
intersection
13
• Example: 1000 kg/hr of a mixture containing 42 mole percent heptane and 58
mole percent ethyl benzene is to be fractionated to a distillate containing 97
mole percent heptane and a residue containing 99 mole percent ethyl benzene
using a total condenser and feed at its saturated liquid condition. The enthalpy-
concentration data for heptane-ethyl benzene at 1 atm pressure are shown
below. Calculate Number of stages using McCabe method
14
