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Module 3 Part 1 Annotated

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Module 3 Part 1 Annotated

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ivantrang1

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Module # 3

… The Unit-operations Superstar …

3-1
Motivation

• Distillation is (perhaps) the most studied and the most

extensively use unit operation in the chemical
process industry, 90 ~ 95% of Separation process.
• Has reached a high level of maturity due to the
dependence of the oil industry on reﬁning.
• An ideal tool to illustrate simple techniques for the
design of equilibrium staged separations.
• Distillation accounted for 𝟑% ~ 𝟓% of total energy
consumption of the US in 2016(a)

(a) Z. Wan et al. Nature 530, 275–277; 2016 3-2

3-3
Binary distillation - design problems

Objective
• To determine the number of stages Qc
V1
required for a given separation
D, xD, hD

• To locate the optimum feed location

Treﬂux

• To calculate the heat loads on the

L0/D
F, z, hF (TF) Pressure

condenser and reboiler

QR
B, xB, hB

Figure 3-1: Schematic of a distilla-

tion column. Variables that are typically
specified for a design problem are cir-
cled.

3-4
Binary distillation - design problems
Assumptions
• The given mixture to be separated
contains two components.
• All plates act as equilibrium stages
(deviations from equilibrium shall be
dealt later).
• The VLE data is available for the
system considered.
• Negligible pressure drop along the
column.
• Column is well insulated - adiabatic.

Figure 3-2: Schematic of a distillation column.

Variables that are typically speciﬁed for a design
problem are circled 3-5
Binary distillation - design approach

Qc Condenser
V1

D, xD, hD
Rectifying/ enriching L0 Distillate
section Treﬂux

L0/D
F, z, hF (TF) Pressure

Stripping
section

QR
B, xB, hB

Reboiler Bottom

3-6
Binary distillation - design approach
Equations

(In its simplest form) The approach would be to write material (MB),
component (CB) and energy balances (EB) for:

1. The rectifying/enriching section

2. The stripping section

3. The feed tray

To complete the picture we need equilibrium data on each stage.

Solving the equations

• Several methods are available for the solutions.

• We will focus on the simplest (and “academically” popular)

“McCabe-Thiele” method of solution.

3-7
Conventions
• We will consider only the light component. Hence x and y will correspond to
the mole fraction of the light component in the liquid and vapour phase
respectively.

• The trays/plates/stages shall be numbered from top-down, i.e., the topmost

tray will be 1, the one below that 2 and so on.

• The liquid and vapour streams in the rectification section will be represented
by L and V respectively, while those in the stripping section will be
represented by L and V respectively.

• The subscripts on the streams and on the compositions will correspond to

the stage from which they originate.

• Liquid phase enthalpy will be represented by h while vapour phase enthalpy

will be represented by H.

• For preliminary analysis we will consider a total condenser and a partial

reboiler.

3-8
Rectifying section - operating line

Consider a balance around the first stage

and the condenser:
V1 Condenser
MB V2 = L1 + D (3-1) Qc

CB V2 y2 = L1 x1 + DxD (3-2) D, xD, hD

L
1 Distillate
EB V2 H2 + QC = L1 h1 + DhD (3-3)
V2 L1
2 Treﬂux

Eq x1 = x1 (y1 ) (3-4) L0/D

V3 3 L2
Pressure
Ent h1 = h1 (x1 ) (3-5)
H2 = H2 (y2 ) (3-6)
Figure 3-3: Rectifying section of a distil-
lation column.
6 equations and 6 unknowns:
L1 , V2 , x1 , y2 , h1 , H2

Arvind Rajendran
3-9
Rectifying section - operating line

Consider an arbitrary stage “j” which is in

the rectifying section:
V1 Condenser

MB Vj+1 = Lj + D (3-7) Qc

CB Vj+1 yj+1 = Lj xj + DxD (3-8)

D, xD, hD
EB Vj+1 Hj+1 + QC = Lj hj + DhD (3-9) L
1 Distillate

Eq xj = xj (yj ) (3-10)
V2 L1
2 Treﬂux
Ent hj = hj (xj ) (3-11) L0/D

Hj+1 = Hj+1 (yj+1 ) (3-12) j

Pressure

6 equations and 6 unknowns: Vj+1 Lj

Lj , Vj+1 , xj , yj+1 , hj , Hj+1

3 - 10
Rectifying section - operating line

Consider an arbitrary stage “j” which is in Some observations

the rectifying section: • The net molal flow rate to
the top is D, and that of
MB Vj+1 = Lj + D (3-13) the more volatile compo-
CB nent is xD D.
Vj+1 yj+1 = Lj xj + DxD (3-14)
• The net flow of energy is
EB Vj+1 Hj+1 + QC = Lj hj + DhD (3-15) DhD − Qc .

Eq xj = xj (yj ) (3-16) • We have not made any as-

sumptions about the na-
Ent hj = hj (xj ) (3-17)
ture of the equilibrium
Hj+1 = Hj+1 (yj+1 ) (3-18)
(ideal, non-ideal).
6 equations and 6 unknowns:
Lj , Vj+1 , xj , yj+1 , hj , Hj+1

3 - 11
Stripping section - operating line

Consider an arbitrary stage “k” which is in

the stripping section:

k-1
MB V k = Lk−1 − B (3-19) Vk Lk−1

CB V k yk = Lk−1 xk−1 − BxB (3-20)

N-1
LN−1
EB V k Hk +QR = Lk−1 hk−1 −BhB (3-21)
VN
N
Treﬂux

L0/D

Pressure

Eq xk−1 = xk−1 (yk−1 ) (3-22) V

LN
Ent hk−1 = hk−1 (xk−1 ) (3-23) QR Reboiler

Hk = Hk (yk ) (3-24) Bottom

B, xB, hB

Figure 3-4: Stripping section of a distil-

6 equations and 6 unknowns:
lation column.
Lk−1 , V k , xk−1 , yk , hk−1 , Hk

3 - 12
Operating line equations

Solving Eqns.3-13 and 3-14 for yj+1 :

Lj Lj
! "
yj+1 = xj + 1 − xD (3-25)
Vj+1 Vj+1

and similarly solving Eqns.3-19 and 3-20 for yk .

Lk−1 Lk−1
! "
yk = xk−1 − − 1 xB (3-26)
Vk Vk

The above equations are called the operating lines for

the rectification and stripping sections respectively.

3 - 13
Operating line equations

Observations
• Eqn. 3-25 relates the concentration of the liquid stream leaving
a stage (xj ) with that of the vapour stream entering that stage
(yj+1 ) in the RECTIFICATION section.

• Eqn. 3-26 relates the concentration of the liquid stream entering

a stage (xk−1 ) with that of the vapour stream leaving that stage
(yk ) in the STRIPPING section.

• Remember that a liquid and vapour stream leaving any stage

are at equilibrium !

3 - 14
Question
Consider the operating line in the rectification section:

Lj Lj
! "
yj+1 = xj + 1 − xD
Vj+1 Vj+1

and
Lk−1 Lk−1
! "
yk = xk−1 − − 1 xB
Vk Vk

Some questions
1. Forget for a moment the subscripts. What does the above equation
represent on a y-x plot?

2. Now bring back the subscripts. What does the above equation represent?
Does it still represent the same as before (point 1)? Why? Why not?

3. Under what conditions do the answers of (1) and (2) the same?

3 - 15
Constant molal overflow (CMO)

3 - 16
Constant molal overflow (CMO)
Under the assumption of constant molal overflow:

L1 = L2 = ... = Lj = ... = Lj−1 = L (3-27)

V1 = V2 = ... = Vj+1 = ..Vf = V (3-28)
Lf = Lf +1 = ... = Lk−1 = ... = LN = L (3-29)
V f +1 = ...V k = ... = V N +1 = V (3-30)

and hence Eqns.3-25 and 3-26 become

L L
! "
yj+1 = xj + 1 − xD (3-31)
V V

and
L L
! "
yk = xk−1 − − 1 xB (3-32)
V V

3 - 17
Constant molal overflow (CMO)

The reflux ratio, R and the boilup ratio, VB are given by

L V
R= ; VB = (3-33)
D B
Some texts use this notation and by substituting this equation into
3-31 and 3-32
R 1
yj+1 = xj + xD (3-34)
R+1 R+1
and
VB + 1 1
yk = xk−1 − xB (3-35)
VB VB

3 - 18
Feed Tray
Mass balance
Vf Lf −1
F + Lf −1 +Vf +1 = Vf + Lf (3-36)

Energy balance Feed

FhF + Lf −1h f −1 +Vf +1H f +1 = Vf H f + Lf h f (3-37)
F , z F ,hF (TF )

Under CMO; drop subscripts and combine the above equations

Vf +1 Lf

(3-38)

(3-39)

where “q” is the “quality of the feed”

McCabe-Thiele method -rectification section

• Plot the equilibrium curve

• Plot the operating line for the rectification
section

L L
! "
yj+1 = xj + 1− xD
V V

Note that the operating line intersects the

diagonal at (xD , xD ).
• For a total condenser the y1 = xD . (hor-
izontal line). The point on the equilibrium
line gives x1 , the liquid that is in equilib-
rium with y1
• Use the operating line to determine the
corresponding value of y2 (vertical line)
• Proceed like before.

3 - 20
McCabe-Thiele method -rectification section

• Plot the equilibrium curve

• Plot the operating line for the rectification
section

L L
! "
yj+1 = xj + 1− xD
V V

Note that the operating line intersects the

3 - 21
McCabe-Thiele method -rectification section

• Plot the equilibrium curve

• Plot the operating line for the rectification
section

L L
! "
yj+1 = xj + 1− xD
V V

Note that the operating line intersects the

3 - 22
McCabe-Thiele method -rectification section

• Plot the equilibrium curve

• Plot the operating line for the rectification
section

L L
! "
yj+1 = xj + 1− xD
V V

Note that the operating line intersects the

3 - 23
McCabe-Thiele method -rectification section

• Plot the equilibrium curve

• Plot the operating line for the rectification
section

L L
! "
yj+1 = xj + 1− xD
V V