COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

CHE 324 - SEPARATION PROCESS

STAGEWISE OPERATION:
DIFFERENT SEPARATION PROCESS

Presented by:
Rodrigo C. Baiño, Jr.
Faculty, Chemical Engineering Department
 STAGEWISE OPERATION

• In chemical engineering, stagewise operation refers to the step-by-step approach

used to design and optimize chemical processes. The goal of stagewise operation is
to break down complex chemical processes into smaller, manageable stages, making
it easier to control and optimize each step.
• This approach is used in the design of chemical plants, where each stage represents
a different unit operation, such as mixing, heating, or cooling. Stagewise operation is
also used in process control, where the process variables are monitored and
adjusted at each stage to ensure the desired product quality and efficiency.
• The use of stagewise operation helps to minimize waste and reduce costs, making it
an important tool for chemical engineers in optimizing chemical processes.
 DIFFERENT
TYPES/TECHNIQUES
OF SEPARATION
PROCESS

There are several types of

separation processes used in
chemical engineering:
1. Distillation: This process uses
boiling and condensation to
separate components in a
mixture based on their boiling
points.
2. Filtration: This process uses a
porous material to separate
solid particles from a liquid or
gas mixture.
3. Centrifugation: This process
uses centrifugal force to
separate components of a
mixture based on their
densities.
Distillation column operation modes: (a) fractionating and
(b) batch.
UNIT OPERATIONS: SEPARATION
PROCESS
 UNIT OPERATIONS: SEPARATION
PROCESS

1. Extraction: This process uses a solvent to dissolve and separate components of a

mixture. (Leaching, Liquid-Liquid Extraction)
2. Adsorption: This process uses a solid material to separate components of a
mixture based on their adsorption properties.
3. Chromatography: This process uses a stationary phase and a mobile phase to
separate components of a mixture based on their chemical and physical
properties.
4. Membrane separation: This process uses a semipermeable membrane to separate
components of a mixture based on their size or chemical properties.
Each of these separation processes has its own advantages and limitations, and the
choice of process depends on the specific requirements of the separation and the
characteristics of the mixture.
 UNIT
OPERATION:
DISTILLATION
Distillation is a separation process
in chemical engineering and is used
to separate a mixture of liquids into
its individual components based on
their boiling points. In a distillation
setup, a mixture is heated to
generate vapor, which is then
condensed and collected in a
separate container. The process is
repeated until the desired degree of
separation is achieved.
 TYPES OF DISTILLATION

There are several types of distillation processes, including:

• Simple distillation: Used to separate a mixture of liquids with a large boiling point difference.
• Fractional distillation: Used to separate mixtures of liquids with close boiling points. This is done
by continuously condensing and re-vaporizing the mixture in a fractionating column.
• Vacuum distillation: Used to separate heat-sensitive materials by reducing the pressure to lower
the boiling point of the mixture.
• Steam distillation: Used to separate volatile components from non-volatile components by using
steam to carry the volatile components into a condenser.
• Multi-stage distillation: Used to separate a mixture into its individual components through
repeated distillation processes.
• Short-path distillation: Used to purify high boiling point liquids by minimizing the distance the
vapor travels in the distillation column.
• Continuous distillation: Used to separate a mixture into its individual components on a
continuous basis by feeding the mixture into the distillation column and collecting the individual
components as they exit.
 UNIT
OPERATION:
FILTRATION
Filtration is a unit operation used in
chemical engineering to separate
solids from liquids or gases. It
involves passing a mixture through a
filter medium, such as a porous
membrane, to remove the solid
particles and produce a filtered
liquid or gas. The filter medium can
be a sieve, a cloth, or a special
material, such as a filter paper.
 TYPES OF FILTRATION

The type of filtration process used depends on the properties of the mixture, the size of the
particles to be separated, and the desired outcome. Some common types of filtration include:
• Gravity filtration: Used to separate solid particles from a liquid by allowing the mixture to
flow through a filter medium under the force of gravity.
• Pressure filtration: Used to separate solid particles from a liquid by applying pressure to
force the mixture through a filter medium.
• Vacuum filtration: Used to separate solid particles from a liquid by creating a vacuum to
draw the mixture through a filter medium.
• Centrifugal filtration: Used to separate solid particles from a liquid by spinning the mixture
at high speeds to separate the solid particles based on their size and weight.
• Membrane filtration: Used to separate solids or liquids from a mixture by passing the
mixture through a porous membrane to retain the particles based on their size and shape.
UNIT OPERATION:
CENTRIFUGATION

Centrifugation is a unit operation

in chemical engineering that
uses the force generated by
spinning to separate solid
particles or liquid phases in a
mixture. The process works by
suspending the mixture in a
rotating container and using the
centrifugal force generated by
the spinning to separate the
components based on their
mass or density.
 TYPES OF CENTRIFUGATION

There are several types of centrifugation, including:

• Sedimentation centrifugation: Used to separate solid particles from a mixture by
sedimentation, where the solid particles settle to the bottom of the centrifuge
tube due to the force generated by the spinning.
• Density gradient centrifugation: Used to separate particles based on their density
by creating a density gradient in the centrifuge tube and allowing the particles to
separate based on their specific gravity.
• Ultracentrifugation: Used to separate particles based on their molecular weight
by generating high centrifugal forces to cause the particles to sediment according
to their molecular weight.
• Continuous flow centrifugation: Used to separate particles continuously by
feeding a mixture into a rotating device, where the particles are separated based
on their size and mass, and then collected in a separate container.
• Centrifugation is widely used in the biochemistry and pharmaceutical industries
to purify proteins and other biological molecules, as well as in environmental
applications to separate suspended particles from water.
UNIT OPERATION:
EXTRACTION

Extraction is a unit operation

used in chemical engineering to
separate a solute from one
phase to another. It involves
contacting a solid or liquid
mixture with a solvent to dissolve
the desired component, or
solute, into the solvent. The
mixture is then separated into
two phases, the solvent and the
solute, which are collected and
processed as needed
 TYPES OF EXTRACTION

Some common types of extraction include:

Liquid-liquid extraction: Used to separate a solute from a mixture of two immiscible liquids by
dissolving the solute in one liquid and then separating the two liquids.
Solid-liquid extraction: Used to separate a solute from a solid mixture by dissolving the solute in
a liquid solvent and then separating the solid residue from the liquid solution.
Supercritical fluid extraction: Used to extract a solute from a mixture by using a supercritical
fluid as the solvent, which allows for efficient extraction of heat-sensitive or soluble components.
Distillation-extraction: Used to separate a mixture of liquids into its individual components by
combining distillation with extraction.
Membrane extraction: Used to separate a solute from a mixture by passing the mixture through
a semipermeable membrane that allows the solvent to pass through while retaining the solute.
The type of extraction process used depends on the properties of the mixture, the solute, and the
solvent, as well as the desired outcome. Extraction is widely used in the pharmaceutical, food, and
environmental industries, among others.
UNIT OPERATION:
ABSORPTION

Absorption is a unit operation

used in chemical engineering to
transfer a gas or vapor from one
phase to another. It involves
contacting a gas or vapor
mixture with a liquid absorbent,
which dissolves the gas or vapor
into the liquid to form a solution.
The two phases are then
separated, with the absorbed
gas or vapor retained in the
liquid phase and the remaining
gas or vapor released as a
separate stream
 TYPES OF ABSORPTION

Some common types of absorption include:

Gas absorption: Used to remove a gas from a gas mixture by dissolving the gas into a liquid
absorbent.
Vapor absorption: Used to remove a vapor from a gas mixture by dissolving the vapor into a
liquid absorbent.
Chemical absorption: Used to remove a gas or vapor from a mixture by reacting the gas or
vapor with a chemical absorbent to form a chemical compound.
Adsorption: Used to remove a gas or vapor from a mixture by adsorbing the gas or vapor onto
the surface of a solid adsorbent.
The type of absorption process used depends on the properties of the gas or vapor mixture, the
absorbent, and the desired outcome. Absorption is widely used in the chemical, environmental,
and energy industries, among others.
UNIT OPERATION:
CHROMATOGRAPHY

Chromatography is a unit
operation used in chemical
engineering to separate mixtures
of substances into their
individual components. It works
by dividing a mixture into two
phases, a mobile phase and a
stationary phase, and then
passing the mixture through the
stationary phase. The
components of the mixture
interact differently with the
stationary phase and move at
different speeds, allowing them
to be separated based on their
 TYPES OF CHROMATOGRAPHY

Some common types of absorption include:

Column chromatography: Uses a column packed with the stationary phase to separate the
components of the mixture. The mixture is passed through the column and the individual
components are collected as they emerge from the column at different times.
Gas chromatography: Uses a gas as the mobile phase and a stationary phase packed in a
column to separate volatile components in a mixture.
Liquid chromatography: Uses a liquid as the mobile phase and a stationary phase packed in a
column to separate components in a mixture. There are several types of liquid chromatography,
including high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ion chromatography, and size
exclusion chromatography.
Thin-layer chromatography: Uses a thin layer of the stationary phase on a flat surface to
separate components in a mixture.
Paper chromatography: Uses a piece of paper as the stationary phase to separate components in
a mixture.
UNIT OPERATION:
MEMBRANE
SEPARATION
Membrane separation is a unit
operation used in chemical
engineering to separate a
mixture of substances into its
individual components. It works
by using a semipermeable
membrane to allow only certain
components of the mixture to
pass through while retaining
others. The type of membrane
used and the conditions under
which the separation takes place
determine which components will
pass through the membrane and
which will be retained.