KYAMBOGO UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
COURSE UNIT: TRANSPORT PHENOMENA
INSTRUCTOR: MR. KIREMBEKA JOSEPH
NAME: NUWAGABA MAGARA BONNER
REG NO.: 18/U/CHD/283/GV
SIGNATURE:
DATE: 15th October 2019
Which of the following phenomena happens during distillation?
i. Heat transfer
ii. Mass transfer
iii. Momentum transfer (Explain your answer)
In a sieve plate distillation column, there is simultaneous mass transfer and heat transfer at each
tray. Vapour and liquid are at equilibrium at each tray. Hot vapour flowing in upward direction
loses heat to liquid on each tray. There will be mass transfer of key component from liquid to
vapour and vice versa.
Give 5 parts of the sieve plate distillation column and state their uses
Kettle reboiler: boils the liquid from the bottom of a distillation column to generate vapour
which drive the distillation separation
Condenser: to cool the vapor leaving the top tray of the column
Pumps: Reflux pump is used for returning the reflux liquid back to the distillation column, while
distillate pump is used for pumping out the distillate for storage
A reflux drum: holds the condensed vapour from the top of the column so that liquid reflux can
be recycled back to the column
The vertical column: where the separation of liquid components is carried out.
Explain the working principle of a sieve plate distillation column
Sieve trays are simply metal plates with holes in them vapour passes straight upward through on
the plate. Additionally, because of the heat input from the vapor, the liquid on the tray boils
generating more vapour. This vapour which moves up to the next tray in the column is richer in
the more volatile components. This continuous contacting between vapour and liquid occurs on
each tray in the column and brings about the separation between low boiling point components
and those with higher boiling points. A sieve plate is designed to bring a rising stream of vapour
into intimate contact with a descending stream of liquid. The liquid flow across the plate passes
over a weir to a downcomer leading to the plate below. The flow pattern on each plate is
therefore cross flow rather than counter current flow, but the column as a whole is still
considered to have counter current flow of liquid and vapour. The fact that there is a cross flow
of liquid and vapour. The fact that there is cross flow of liquid on the plate is important in
analyzing the hydraulic behaviour of the column and in predicting plate efficiency.
Define the following
1. Reflux ratio: is the ratio between the boil-up rate and take-off rate or is the ratio between
the amount of reflux that goes back down the distillation column and the amount of
reflux that is collected in the receiver
2. Zero reflux: it is when no condensate is taken back into the column in other words the
condensate is collected as a distillate.
3. Total reflux: is the operating condition where vapor and liquid are passing each other in
the column but no product is removed.
Explain why the reboiler is not considered as a plate in the column
The reboiler doesn’t facilitate contact between the vapor phase and liquid phase required for any
plate, but rather boil the liquid from the bottom of the distillation column to generate vapors
which are returned to the column hence cannot be considered as a plate.
Why do we have to maintain the downflowing stream in the column?
This is to create pressure balance between the upstream and downstream in-order to prevent
collapse of the machine. It is also to ensure column efficiency.
Using McCabe’s theory of distillation, explain the concept of minimum theoretical plates
required for distillation (McCabe’s graph is required)
The McCabe-Thiele Method is suitable for binary mixtures in continuous column, can be used as
a preliminary study for multi-component.
It assumes constant molar overflow and no heat loss from column. It is not suitable if relative
volatility is <1.3, or >5, if the reflux ratio is less 1.1Rmin, and also if more than 25 theoretical
stages are needed.
STEPS
1. Obtain the VLE curve
2. Pick the distillate composition, XD and reflux ratio, R and draw operating line for
rectification.
3. Pick bottoms composition, XB and boil up ratio, VB and draw operating line for stripping
4. Start stepping off from the distillate end until the intersection of the two operating line is
passed
5. Continue stepping but use the stripping operating line
6. Count the number of stages
7. Subtract one for the reboiler to give the number of theoretical trays (or leave as safety
factor)
Starting with 11% ethanol water binary mixture, explain how 60% ethanol can be
obtained using the sieve plate distillation column
Connect the water tubing to the condenser of the sieve plate distillation column
Prepare 5 liters of solution by adding 550 ml of ethanol, and 4450 ml of water to make
11% ethanol.
Pour the mixture in the boiler section of the sieve plate distillation column
Heat it steadily to vaporization
Carry out a total reflux for about 2 minutes before collecting the samples
Collect samples from each plate including the reboiler and condenser and determine the
alcohol content
Determine the temperature at each plate from machine PLC
References
McCabe W.L, Smith J.C, Harriot P. (1993). Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering, 5th
edition. McGraw-Hill Book Co.
Wankat P.C. (1988). Equilibrium Staged Separations. Prentice-Hall
Othmer D. (1982). Distillation – Some Steps in its Development A Century of Chemical
Engineering
