BKF3463

UNIT OPERATION

Vapor-Liquid Separation:
Distillation

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Content
• Vapor-liquid Equilibrium Relations
• Single Stage Equilibrium Contact Stages for VL System
• Simple Distillation Methods
• Distillation With Reflux And McCabe-Thiele Method
• Distillation And Absorption Efficiencies For Tray And Packed
Towers
• Fractional Distillation Using Enthalpy-Concentration Method
• Distillation of Multicomponent Mixtures

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Multicomponent Distillation
Introduction
• Many of industrial distillation processes involve the separation of more than two
component
• In a multicomponent mixture of n components, n-1 fractionators will be required
for the separation

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 Multicomponent Distillation
Key Components in Multicomponent Distillation
• Fractionation of a multicomponent mixture in a distillation will allow
separation only between two components.
• The components separated are called the light key (L), which is more
volatile, and the heavy key (H)
• The components more volatile than the light key are called light
components and will be present in the bottoms in small amount
• The components less volatile than the heavy key are called heavy
components and will be present in the distillate in small amount
• The two key components are present in significant amounts in both the
distillate and bottoms

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Multicomponent Distillation
Equilibrium Data in Multicomponent Distillation
• Raoult’s law can be used to determine the composition the vapor composition in
equilibrium with liquid
• For example four components system A, B, C, D
pA = PA x A ; pB = PB xB ; pC = PC xC ; pD = PD xD
pA PA p P p P p P
yA = = x A ; yB = B = B xB ; yC = C = C xC ; yD = D = D xD
P P P P P P P P

• In hydrocarbon system, the equilibrium data are often represented by following

eq., where K is vapor-liquid equilibrium constant or distribution coefficient of
component

yA = K A xA ; yB = KB xB ; yC = KC xC ; yD = KD xD
• Relative volatility for each individual component in mixture (let say we take
component C as the base component)
Ki K K K K
ai = ; a A = A ; a B = B ; aC = C =1.0; a D = D
KC KC KC KC KC
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Multicomponent Distillation
Equilibrium K Value for Light Hydrocarbon
• K value is function of temperature
and pressure, and mostly assumed
not varies with composition

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DePriester Chart

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DePriester Chart

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Multicomponent Distillation
Boiling Point Calculation

Read Ki from
Assume T Calculate αi
chart

Read T from
Calculate Kc =
graph using new Calculate Σαixi
1/Σαixi
calculated Kc

Compare with Calculate

assume T, if yes yi=αixi/Σαixi

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Multicomponent Distillation
Boiling Point Calculation
Bubble Point Temperature calculation
• Given P,x  calculate T,y
– Involve trial & error

P = x A p*A (Tbp ) + x B p*B (Tbp ) + ...

p VLE Calculation
yi = i
P
• Bubble T : P,x  T,y
Bubble Point Pressure calculation
• Bubble P : T,x  P,y
• Given T,x  calculate P, y
• Dew T : P,y  T,x
Pbp = x A p*A (Tbp ) + x B p*B (Tbp ) + ... • Dew P : T,y  P,x

pi x i pi* (T)
yi = =
Pbp Pbp

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Multicomponent Distillation
Dew Point Calculation

Read Ki from
Assume T Calculate αi
chart

Read T from Calculate

Compare with
graph using new
assume T, if yes Kc =Σyi/αi
calculated Kc

Calculate
xi=(yi/αi)/(Σyi/αi)

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Multicomponent Distillation
Dew Point Calculation
Dew Point Temperature calculation VLE Calculation
• Given P, y  calculate T,x
– Trial & error • Bubble T : P,x  T,y
• Bubble P : T,x  P,y
yiP • Dew T : P,y  T,x
xi =
p*i (Tdp ) • Dew P : T,y  P,x
yiP
å x = å p (T
i * =1
i i i dp )

Dew point Pressure calculation

• Given T,y calculate P, x
1
Pdp =
yA yB yC
+ + + ...
p*A (T) p*B (T) pC* (T)
yiP
yi =
p* i (T)

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Example 11.7-1
A liquid feed to a distillation tower at 405.3 kPa abs is fed to a distillation
tower. The composition in mole fractions is as follows: n-butane (xA=0.4), n-
pentane (xB=0.25), n-hexane(xC=0.20) and n-heptane (xD=0.15). Calculate the
boiling point and the vapor in equilibrium with the liquid.

Read Ki from
Assume T Calculate αi
chart

Read T from
Calculate Kc =
graph using new Calculate Σαixi
1/Σαixi
calculated Kc

Compare with Calculate

assume T, if yes yi=αixi/Σαixi

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 Multicomponent Distillation
Flash Distillation Multicomponent Distillation

• f = V/F fraction of feed vaporized and (1-f)=L/F fraction of feed remain as

liquid, component balance

f -1 x
yi = xi + iF
f f
• Rewrite above eq. for for equilibrium, yi=Kixi=Kcixi

f -1 x
yi = KCai xi = xi + iF
f f
• Soving for xi and summing for all component
xiF
Sxi = S =1.0
f (KCai xi -1) +1
• This is solved by trial & error by choose T if the f is set

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 Multicomponent Distillation
Total Reflux for Multicomponent Distillation
• Fenske equation: to calculate minimum theoretical stages, Nmin

where,
xLD = mole fraction of LK in distillate.
xLW = mole fraction of LK in bottom product.
xHD = mole fraction of HK in distillate.
xHW = mole fraction of HK in bottom product

• The average value αL,ave of the light key is calculated from αLD at the top
temperature (dew point) and αLW at the bottoms temperature (boiling point) of the
tower

• The concentration of others component in the distillate and bottoms at total reflux
is calculated using this equation

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Example 11.7-2
The liquid feed of 100 mol/h at the boiling point given in example 11.7-1 is
fed to a distillation tower at 405.3 kPa and is to be fractionated so that 90% of
the n-pentane (B) is recovered in the distillate and 90% of the n-haxane (C) in
the bottoms. Calculate the following
a) Moles per hour and composition of distillate and bottoms
b) Top temperature (dew point) of distillate and bottom temperature
(boiling point) of bottoms
c) Minimum stages for total reflux and distribution of others components in
the distillate and bottoms.

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Multicomponent Distillation
Shortcut Method for Minimum Reflux Ratio
• For multicomponent distillation, two pinch point or zones of constant composition
occur – one in the section above the feed palte and another below the feed tray.
• Underwood’s shortcut method: i)constant average α value, ii) constant flow in
both section of tower
ai xiF
1- q = S
ai - q
ax
Rm +1 = S i iD
ai - q

• To solve Rm, the value of theta is first obtained by trial & error. This value lies
between the alpha value of light key and heavy key

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Multicomponent Distillation
Shortcut Method for Number of Stages at Operating Reflux
Ratio
Erbar and Maddox empirical correlation

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Multicomponent Distillation
Estimation of Feed Plate Location
• Kirkbride equation

éæ ö æ ö
2ù
Ne ê xHF W xLW ú
log = 0.206 log ç ÷ ç ÷
Ns êëè xLF ø D è xHD ø úû

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Example 11.7-3
Using the conditions and results given in Example 11.7-2, calculate the
following
a) Minimum reflux ratio using the Underwood method
b) Number of theoretical stages at an operating reflux ration R of 1.5Rm
using the Erbar-Maddox correlation
c) Location of feed tray using the method of Kirkbride

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Summary and Outcomes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-vZwJpSCRM

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Thank You

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