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Procedure For Continuous Distillation Column Design: Panorama Consulting & Engineering Inc. USA Blog Process Engineering

This document provides a summary of the key steps in the procedure for designing a continuous distillation column: 1) Determine the vapor-liquid equilibrium of the components to be separated using simulation software. 2) Specify the column operating objectives by defining the purity requirements for the top and bottom streams. 3) Select an operating pressure that allows for adequate temperature differences between available utilities. 4) Use shortcut procedures to determine the minimum reflux ratio and number of ideal stages needed for separation.

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53 views3 pages

Procedure For Continuous Distillation Column Design: Panorama Consulting & Engineering Inc. USA Blog Process Engineering

This document provides a summary of the key steps in the procedure for designing a continuous distillation column: 1) Determine the vapor-liquid equilibrium of the components to be separated using simulation software. 2) Specify the column operating objectives by defining the purity requirements for the top and bottom streams. 3) Select an operating pressure that allows for adequate temperature differences between available utilities. 4) Use shortcut procedures to determine the minimum reflux ratio and number of ideal stages needed for separation.

Uploaded by

Sandra Gilbert
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Panorama Consulting & Engineering Inc.

USABlogProcess EngineeringProcedure for


Continuous Distillation Column Design

July 24, 2017 / By Panorama Consulting & Engineering Inc. / Process Engineering • Project
Management • System design • Utility Optimization/ 0 Comments

Procedure for Continuous Distillation


Column Design
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Distillation is used to separate components in a feed mixture based upon their relative boiling
points. A simple, continuous distillation column can make the separation between two
components into two product streams. In multi-component systems, the two main components to
be separated are designated as the light and heavy keys. The light key is the more volatile
component in greater purity in the top product stream, and the heavy key is the less volatile
component in greater purity in the bottom product stream.
Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium

The starting point upon which all column design is based is to accurately determine the relative
volatility of the key components to be separated. Using a mass and energy balance simulation
program. The user must set up the basis of the simulation by selecting an appropriate fluid
package and the components present in the feed. Activity coefficients, estimated by the program
or provided by the user, are used to relate non-ideal component interactions.

Column Operating Objectives

The first step in column design is specifying the column operating objectives. These are defined
by a primary product composition and an optimal recovery of the product from the waste, recycle
or less important by-product stream. These specifications should be in terms of the heavy key
impurity in the top stream and the light key impurity in the bottom stream.

Operating Pressure

Once the top and bottom stream compositions are specified, the dew point of the top stream and
the boiling point of the bottom stream may be determined at various pressures. An operating
pressure should be selected that allows acceptable temperature differences between available
utilities because the overhead vapor must be condensed and the bottom liquid reboiled.

When possible, atmospheric or pressure operation of the column is preferred in order to avoid
requiring a vacuum system. However, another consideration is component heat sensitivity, which
may require lower pressure operation to avoid fouling, product discoloration or decomposition.
Often the relative volatility is also improved at lower pressures.

R/Dmin & Nmin and Feed Stage Estimation

Using the simulation program, shortcut procedures based upon total reflux operation allow the
minimum reflux ratio (R/Dmin) and minimum number of ideal separation stages (Nmin) to be
determined. Using an actual reflux ratio of 1.2 times the minimum reflux ratio will allow an
optimal number of stages to be estimated as well as an appropriate feed stage.

Rigorous simulation of the distillation at a given feed rate and composition may now be
accomplished by specifying the following: top and bottom product compositions, number of
stages, feed stage, and top and bottom pressure.

Parametric cases of this simulation should be used to verify the estimated number of stages and
feed location. Add and subtract stages from both the stripping and rectifying section of the
column. Do this until the required reflux ratio becomes approximately 1.2 times the minimum
reflux ratio, or the trade off between utility usage and the number of stages appears optimal for
the specific column. As more total stages are used, the required reboiler duty will decrease until
there are diminishing returns.

Diameter and Height of the Column


At this point, the distillation process is well defined, leaving the column diameter and height to
be determined. The chosen design case from the simulation program provides the internal liquid
and vapor flows and their physical properties for every stage of the column. The column
diameter is chosen to provide an acceptable superficial vapor velocity, or “Fs factor”. This is
defined as vapor velocity (ft/sec) times square root of vapor density (lb/ft3), and liquid loading
defined as volumetric flow rate (gal/min), divided by the cross sectional area of the column (ft2).
The column internals can be chosen as either trays or packing. Trayed columns must avoid
flooding, weeping and downcomer backup. Packed columns must avoid flooding, minimum
surface wetting and mal-distribution.

Project managers should understand and determine these five key design elements for the
projects success. Cost, chemical interactions and equipment needs change in a non-linear
fashion, as increased output is required. Qualified engineers should consider these critical steps
for distillation column design.

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