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Distillation 1

This document provides an overview of distillation column design using rigorous simulation. It discusses the key steps and equations involved, including: - Setting up the MESH equations to model each stage - Estimating condenser and reboiler pressures based on operating conditions - Calculating preliminary design parameters like reflux ratio, number of stages, and feed tray location using shortcut distillation methods - Using a depropanizer column example to demonstrate how these design steps are applied in a simulation.

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Zakariya Mohamed
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© © All Rights Reserved
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117 views42 pages

Distillation 1

This document provides an overview of distillation column design using rigorous simulation. It discusses the key steps and equations involved, including: - Setting up the MESH equations to model each stage - Estimating condenser and reboiler pressures based on operating conditions - Calculating preliminary design parameters like reflux ratio, number of stages, and feed tray location using shortcut distillation methods - Using a depropanizer column example to demonstrate how these design steps are applied in a simulation.

Uploaded by

Zakariya Mohamed
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Distillation Column

Design 1
(Material developed based on Product and Process design
principles:Synthesis, analysis and evaluation, 3e by Seader and
Widagdo)

Distillation column
design
MESH equations

Rigorous analysis requires simultaneous solution of

mathematical relationships for each stage.


MESH equations: (1) Material Balances, (2) Equilibrium

Relationships, (3) Summation Relationships, and (4) Heat


(energy) Balances.

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Parameters
1) Estimate of condenser and reboiler pressure

Pressure gradient in the column affects the equilibrium


temperature and composition at each stage

Condenser pressure will be selected to enable the cooling of


the vapor with cooling water

2) Reflux Ratio, R
3) Number of theoretical stages, N
4) Feed tray location

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Column design steps


Preliminary steps:
Calculate Pressure - Splitter operation
Calculate R, N, Nf Short cut distillation
Set up distillation column:
Use the values obtained from the previous

steps to start simulation

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Depropanizer
example

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Splitter setup
Preliminary steps:
Define the material stream- Select SRK EOS
Select splitter unit
Select field as your unit set
Install inlet, outlet and energy streams

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Splitter setup

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Define splits

Splits are defined based on the distillate specifications

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Parameter tab

To start with, assume the condenser pressure is

the same as feed pressure and the distillate vapor


fraction as 1.

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Bottom pressure
Use SET unit to simulate a constant
estimation
pressure drop

This is the variable


we control

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Bottom pressure
Select the pressure of the stream B and the
estimation
source as stream D (since the pressure of
D is used to calculate the pressure of B

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Bottom pressure
Assume a constant pressure drop
estimation

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Bottom pressure
The system is now converged. However, we
estimation
need to recheck the condenser and reboiler
pressure with the consideration of relative
volatility.

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Time for exercise!

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Relative volatility
Perform a case study to find the

dependence of pressure on relative volatility


on the new stream. Here, we created a
clone of the feed to work on the case study.

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Relative volatility

Volatility is defined at its bubble point. So,

make the vapor fraction of feed as zero after


deleting the temperature

Cloned stream
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Spreadsheet
Define alpha using spreadsheet by importing

K values for the key components

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Spreadsheet

Import K values for the key components

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Spreadsheet
Estimate alpha values

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Case study

Now the case study can be performed using

to study the effect f pressure on alpha

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Case study
Select the dependent (alpha) and

independent (pressure) variables.

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Case study
Select the relative volatility and the pressure

of stream 1-2 as the variables

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Case study

Select the relative volatility and the pressure

of feed 2 as the variables

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Case study

Now start a case study (alpha). Our objective

is to analyze the dependence of relative


volatility on pressure.

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Case study

Define the range of pressure at which the

analysis will be conducted. Then run and


view results

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Case study
Alpha is inversely proportional to pressure.

Since we target high alpha, select low


pressure

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Time for exercise!

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Effect of pressure on
Alpha is inversely proportional to pressure. Since
temperature
we target high alpha, select low pressure
The effect of temperature-pressure at condenser

and reboiler should be considered


Use cooling water and steam to save the utility
cost
To enable reboiling with steam, the reboiler
temperature should be lower than 366oF to allow
efficient heat transfer when using high pressure
steam at 150psia.
To use cooling water in condenser, the condenser
temperature should be around 100 -120oF.
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Effect of pressure on
Add a new case study-Temperature
temperature

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Effect of pressure on
temperature

Add the temperatures and pressures of streams B and D (Bs pressure is

calculated by SET unit) and variables


Set the temperatures as dependent and pressure as independent variables.

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Effect of pressure on
Set the same range for pressure as in the
temperature
previous case.

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Effect of pressure on
View the result by pressing result button.
temperature

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Effect of pressure on
temperature

Since the Alpha change is only by 0.2 in the pressure range of 205psia and 265psia, we neglect the effects

of alpha and take the benefit of heat exchange instead. Close the window and return to the splitter page.

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Effect of pressure on
temperature
Even the temperature value at 300psia is well within the limit of not more that 366 oF.
At D-temperature, to fulfill the lower limit of 100 oF, pressure must be about 205psia.

D upper limit is 120oF which limit the pressure to 265psia. Since the pressure lies between 205psia and 265psia, higher

temperature in condenser provides higher driving force and thus requires less area in condenser, an operating pressure of
250psia for condenser is selected.

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Condenser and
Check the results at the worksheet tab of
reboiler
pressure
splitter

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Condenser and
Check the results at the worksheet tab of
reboiler
pressure
splitter

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Time for exercise!

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Short cut
distillation
Use the pressure estimated in splitter
operation to get estimates on
1)
2)
3)

Reflux Ratio, R
Number of theoretical stages, N
Feed tray location

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Basic steps
The top product must be in vapor form to

avoid condensing ethane

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Define key
components
Lightkey in bottoms

9
0.0116
9 365 350 50

Heavykey in distillate

5
0.0221
5 30 191

Actual reflux=1.75*
minimum reflux
(in this case)

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Results of short cut


distillation

Number of trays = 16
Feed entry tray: 8 or 9

Verify the distillate composition with the target specifica


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Time for exercise!

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