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Tutorial 6

The document discusses flash and batch distillation processes, providing various problems related to the equilibrium distribution of ethanol and other binary mixtures. It includes calculations for vapor and liquid compositions, as well as specific scenarios involving relative volatility and mole fractions. Additionally, it references questions from GATE exams to illustrate practical applications of mass transfer principles in distillation.

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6 views4 pages

Tutorial 6

The document discusses flash and batch distillation processes, providing various problems related to the equilibrium distribution of ethanol and other binary mixtures. It includes calculations for vapor and liquid compositions, as well as specific scenarios involving relative volatility and mole fractions. Additionally, it references questions from GATE exams to illustrate practical applications of mass transfer principles in distillation.

Uploaded by

maniron2148
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CH3030 - Applications of Mass Transfer

Tutorial 6: Flash and Batch Distillation

Flash Distillation

Statement for linked questions Q1 - Q3.

The equilibrium distribution curve for an aqueous solution of ethanol at standard


atmospheric pressure is provided below [refer to Table 13-1, Perry’s Handbook, Ed. 7]

1. An initial feed containing 40 mol% EtOH is flash distilled in a still, operated at 1 atm.
Find the range of vapor compositions that can be obtained in this flash operation (i.e. find
ymin and ymax). What would be the vapor composition range if one were to start from a
solution of 70 mol% EtOH?

2. For the same feed conditions as above, determine the range of liquid compositions (xmin
and xmax) that could be obtained.
3. Suppose that the equilibrium curve can be approximated as 𝑦 * = 0. 477𝑥 + 0. 428
between the composition range 0. 25 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 0. 58. Starting with 100 moles of an
equimolar solution of EtOH and water, it is intended to vaporize 50% of the feed.
Assume that the flash operation is an equilibrium stage operation and calculate the vapor
and liquid phase compositions that are produced.

4. [GATE 2012]
An equimolar mixture of A and B (A being more volatile) is flash distilled continuously
at a feed rate of 100 kmol/h, such that the liquid product contains 40 mol % of A. If the
relative volatility is 6, then the vapor product, in kmol/h, is

(A) 10 (B) 20 (C) 25 (D) 45

Batch Distillation

1. [GATE 2023]
Distillation of a non-reactive binary mixture with components 𝐴 and 𝐵 is carried out in a
batch still as shown in the figure below. The initial charge of the mixture in the still is 1
kmol. The initial and final amounts of 𝐴 in the still are 0.1 kmol and 0.01 kmol,
respectively. Use a constant relative volatility of 4.5. The mole fraction of 𝐵 remaining in
the vessel is _______ (rounded off to three decimal places).

2. [GATE 2013, Rayleigh eqn.]

The vapor-liquid equilibrium curve of a binary mixture A-B, may be approximated by a


linear equation over a narrow range of liquid mole fractions ( 0.2 < 𝑥𝐴< 0.3) as follows

*
𝑦𝐴 = 1. 325 𝑥𝐴 + 0. 121
*
Here 𝑦𝐴 is the mole fraction of A in the vapor. 100 moles of a feed (𝑥𝐴, 𝐹 = 0.28) is batch
distilled to a final residue (𝑥𝐴, 𝑤 = 0.2). Using the Rayleigh equation, the number of
moles of the residue left behind in the distillation unit, up to 2 digits after the decimal
point, is ____________.

3. [GATE 2013]

* α𝐴𝐵 𝑥𝐴
𝑦𝐴 = 1 + (α𝐴𝐵 −1) 𝑥𝐴

*
Let 𝑥𝐴 and 𝑦𝐴 be the mole fractions of species A in the liquid and vapor, respectively. The
relative volatility (α𝐴𝐵) is greater than unity.

(i) The liquid mole fraction 𝑥𝐴 at which the maximum difference between the equilibrium
vapor mole fraction and liquid mole fraction occurs is

1
(A)
(1 + α𝐴𝐵)

0.75
(B)
(1 + α𝐴𝐵)

0.5
(C)
( 1 + α𝐴𝐵)

0.75
(D)
( 1 + α𝐴𝐵)

(ii) A liquid having the composition found in the first part of the linked answer question,
is flash distilled at a steady state to a final liquid mole fraction of 0.25. If αAB is 2.5, the
fraction of the feed vaporized is

(A) 0.08

(B) 0.20

(C) 0.67

(D) 0.74
4. [GATE 2008]
A batch distillation operation is carried out to separate a feed containing 100 moles of a
binary mixture of A and B. The mole fraction of A in the feed is 0.7. The distillation
progresses until the mole fraction of A in the residue decreases to 0.6. The equilibrium
*
curve in this composition range may be linearized to 𝑦 = 0. 7353 𝑥 + 0. 3088. Here x
and y are the mole fractions of the more volatile component A in the liquid and vapor
phases respectively. The number of moles of residue is

a. 73.53

b. 48.02

c. 40

d. 30.2

5. [GATE 2006]
100 moles of a binary mixture F containing 60 mol% A (more volatile) and 40 mol% B is
treated in a batch distillation still. After 1 hour, 70 moles of the distillate D is collected
leaving behind the residue W. Relative volatility α is 2. The average mole fraction of A in
the distillate is

a. 0.43

b. 0.61

c. 0.69

d. 0.73

6. [GATE 1998]

100 moles of an acetonitrile-nitromethane mixture is differentially distilled in a batch still


at a pressure of 70 kPa. The feed contains 74 mole % acetonitrile. Distillation is
continued till the liquid left behind in the stilt contains 32 mole % acetonitrile. The
vapor-liquid equilibria for the system at this pressure are correlated as follows:
*
𝑦 = 1. 05𝑥 + 0. 13 for 0. 3 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 0. 52
*
𝑦 = 0. 77𝑥 + 0. 28 for 0. 52 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 0. 8

where x and y* refer to the mole fractions of acetonitrile in the liquid and equilibrium
vapor, respectively. Find the average composition of the distillate collected.

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