PROCESS CALCULATIONS The Gate Coach

• MATERIAL BALANCE WITHOUT CHEMICAL

CHAPTER REACTION
3

3.1 MATERIAL BALANCE

All material balance calculations are based on the law of conservation of mass, which
states that matter can neither be created nor destroyed during s process (i.e. mass is
conserved). The law of conservation of mass can also be stated as:

 The total mass of all substances taking part in a process remains constant.
 Within a given isolated system, the mass of the system remains constant,
regardless of the changes taking place within the system.
 The total mass of various components remains constant during an unit operation
or a chemical reaction.

According to the law of conservation of mass, we have for any process

Input = Output + Accumulation

For steady state operations / process where in the accumulation of the material is
constant or nil, equation becomes,

Input = Output

 Accumulation : It refers to change in mass or moles within the system with

respect to time (i.e. variables are time invariant).

3.2 MATERIAL BALANCE WITHOUT CHEMICAL REACTION

General methods for solving the material balance problems of the system involving no
chemical reactions are:

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 Select a suitable basis of calculation.

 When the system involves a component material that appears in both the
incoming and outgoing streams, whose quantity does not change during a given
operation, the component is called tie component.
 Whenever we are dealing with the system involving an inert chemical species, the
calculation may be simplified by making material balance of the inert chemical
species.

3.3 MATERIAL BALANCE AROUND UNIT OPERATIONS

There are many unit operations used in chemical industries, and their respective simplify
block diagram.

3.3.1 DISTILLATION

This operation is used for the separation of the components of a liquid mixture by
partial vaporization and condensation. Distillation with rectification or (fractional
distillation) gives almost pure product. The product removed from the top is called the
distillate or overhead product and that removed from the bottom is called the bottoms
or bottom product. Material balance is generally based on the more volatile component.
The vapor phase is created by supplying thermal energy to liquid to be distilled and this
method of separation depends on the difference
in vapor pressures of different components at a
given temperature.

Overall material balance :

F =D+B

Where, F = Feed Rate, D = Distillate Rate, W = Bottoms Rate

Material balance of component a :

A in feed = A in distillate + A in bottoms

xF .F  xD .D  xW .W

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3.3.2 ABSORPTION

This operation is used in the chemical industry for the recovery / removal of a solute gas
component from its mixture with another component gases (called as inert gases with
respect to absorption) with the help of a suitable liquid solvent in which the solute gas is
absorbed. Mathematically agitated vessels, packed columns, etc. are the equipments
commonly used for absorption.

Material balance of inert gas :

Inert gas in gas mixture entering the tower

= Inert gas leaving the tower

Material balance of solute gas :

Solute removed by absorption = Solute in inlet gas – Solute in lean gas

3.3.3 EXTRACTION

This operation is used in the chemical industry for the separation of the components of
a liquid mixture with the help of a suitable liquid solvent wherein the solute from the
feed solution is transferred in the solvent yielding the raffinate phase (rich in the feed
solvent) and extract phase (rich in the solvent
used). It does not give a pure product and
needs further processing. Mixer settlers,
packed columns etc. are used for liquid – liquid
extraction.

Overall material balance :

Feed solution + Solvent = Extract phase + Raffinate phase

If A is the solute to be extracted, then the material balance of A for fresh solvent is:

A in feed solution = A in extract phase + A in raffinate phase

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Extraction operation is also carried out for the removal of a soluble constituent of solids
with the help of a suitable liquid solvent. For
example, oil seed extraction or leaching of valuable
metals from mineral ores.

Material balance of solids :

Solids in seeds = Solids in meal

Material balance of oil :

Oil in seeds = Oil in meal + Oil in solvent

3.3.4 DRYING

This operation is carried out in the chemical industry for the removal of residual
moisture (water) or volatile liquid associated with wet solids with the help of hot air, or
inert gas (N2) (drying medium). When the hot air is
circulated over the wet solids, the moisture from
the solids evaporates and gets added in the air. It
is generally the last operation carried out in the
industry. Industrial dryers include tray dryer, spray
dryer, etc.

Material balance of moisture :

Moisture removed from solids = moisture added in air

 Initial moisture in wet solids – Moisture in dried solids

= Moisture in outlet air – moisture in inlet air

Material balance of solids :

Solids in wet feed = Solids in dried product

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3.3.5 EVAPORATION

This operation is used in the chemical

industry to enhance the concentration
of a weak liquor to produce a thick
liquor by evaporating a portion of the
solvent by means of condensing
steam. It may be carried out in a single
or a multiple effect evaporation
system.

Overall Material Balance :

Weak liquor = Water evaporated + Crystallized Product + Thick liquor

Material balance of solids :

Solids in weak liquor = Solids in thick liquor

3.3.6 CRYSTALLIZATION

It is formation of solid particles within a homogeneous liquid phase. Crystallization gives

almost pure product. Various
equipments used for carrying out
crystallization are stirred tanks, vacuum
crystallizer, Swenson – walker crystallizer,
etc. crystallization of dissolved solids from a solution is based on the differences in
solubility at different temperatures. It usually consists of concentration of solution and
cooling of solution until it becomes super saturated.

Overall material balance :

Feed solution = Saturated solution + Crystals

Material balance of solute crystals :

Crystals in feed solution = Crystals obtained + Crystals in saturated solution

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3.3.7 MIXING / BLENDING

This operation is carried out in the chemical industry to obtain a product of the desired
quality by mixing weak and concentrated
streams. For example, preparation of a
desired mixed acid, blending of solids from
various batches to get solids of a specified
quality, etc.

Suppose a product stream is to be obtained by blending streams 1, 2 and 3, then

Overall material balance :

Feed Stream – 1 + Feed Stream – 2 + Feed Stream – 3 = Desired product stream

Component material balance :

A in Feed Stream – 1 + A in Feed Stream – 2 = A in desired product stream

3.3.8 FILTRATION

This operation is carried out in the industry for

the separation of solids from a suspension in a
liquid. Wet solids are the product of this
operation. Various equipments used for this
purpose are: centrifuge machines, drum – filter
press, etc.

Overall material balance :

Feed slurry = Wet solids + Filtrate

Material balance of solids :

Solids in slurry = Solids in wet solids product + Solids in filtrate

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