Distillation Design-3

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4.4 Distillation with Reflux and McCabe-Thiele
Method
4.4.1 Introduction to Distillation with Reflux

Rectificaition (fractionation) or stage distillation with reflux is

a series of flash-vaporization stages are arranged in a series which the vapor and liquid
products from each stage flow countercurrently to each other.

The liquid in a stage is conducted or flows to the stage below and the vapor from a stage
flow upward to the stage above.

V1 V2 V3 V2 Vn Vn+1

L0 L1 L2 L1 Ln-1 Ln

A total material balance: Vn 1  Ln  1 Vn  Ln

A component balance on A: Vn 1 y n 1  Ln  1 x n  1 Vn y n  Ln x n

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4.4.1 Introduction to Distillation with Reflux

In a distillation column the stages (referred to as sieve plates or trays) in a distillation tower are
arranged vertically, as shown schematically in figure below.

1. Feed enters the column somewhere in

the middle of the column.

2. Feed is liquid, it flows down to a sieve

tray or stage.

3. Vapor enters the tray and bubbles

through the liquid on this tray as the
entering liquid flows across.

4. The vapor and liquid leaving the tray

are essentially in equilibrium.

5. The vapor continues up to the next tray

or stage, where it is again contacted with
a downflowing liquid.

6. The concentration of the more volatile

component is being increased in the
vapor form each stage going upward and
decreased in the liquid from each stage
going donwards. 3
4.4.1 Introduction to Distillation with Reflux

In a distillation column the stages (referred to as sieve plates or trays) in a distillation tower are
arranged vertically, as shown schematically in figure below.

7. The final vapor product coming

overhead is condensed in a condenser
and a portion of the liquid product
(distillate) is removed, which contains a
high concentration of A.

8. The remaining liquid from the

condenser is returned (refluxed) as a
liquid to the top tray.

9. The liquid leaving the bottom tray

enters a reboilier, where it partially
vaporized, and the remaining liquid, which
is lean in A or rich in B, is withdrawn as
liquid product.

10. The vapor from the reboiler is sent

back to the bottom stage or trays is much
greater.

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4.4.3 McCabe-Thiele Method of Calculation for Number of
Theoretical Stages
4.4.3A) Introduction and assumptions

A mathematical – graphical method for determining the number of theoretical trays

or stages needed for a given separation of a binary mixture of A and B has been
developed by McCabe and Thiele.
The method uses material balances around certain parts of the tower, which give
operating lines and the xy equilibrium curve for the system.

Main assumption
1) Equimolar overflow through the tower between the feed inlet and the top tray and
the feed inlet and bottom tray.
2) Liquid and vapor streams enter a tray, are equilibrated, and leave.

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 A total material balance:

Vn 1  Ln  1 Vn  Ln

A component A balance:

Vn 1 y n 1  Ln  1 x n  1 Vn y n  Ln x n

Where
Vn+1 is mol/h of vapor from tray n+1
Ln is mol/h liquid from tray n
yn+1 is mole fraction of A in Vn+1 and so on.

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4.4.3B) Equation for enriching section

A total material balance:

F D  W (1)

A component A balance:

Fx F  Dx D  Wx w (2)

Where
F is the entering feed (mol/h)
D is the distillate (mol/h)
W is the bottoms (mol/h)

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Material balance over dashed-line section: Vn 1 Ln  D (3)

A balance on component A: Vn 1 yn 1 Ln xn  DxD (4)

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Solving for yn+1, the enriching-section operating line is

L Dx
yn 1  n xn  D (5)
Vn 1 Vn 1

Since Vn 1 Ln  D, Ln / Vn 1 R /( R  1)and equation becomes

R x
y n 1  xn  D (6)
R 1 R 1

where R Ln / D = reflux ratio = constant.

The eqn. (1) is a straight line on a plot of vapor composition versus liquid
composition.

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The slope is Ln / Vn 1 or R /( R  1) . It intersects the y=x line (45º diagonal
line) at x  xD . The intercept of the operating line at x = 0 is y  xD /( R  1) .

The theoretical stages are determined by starting at x D and stepping off the first
plate to x1. Then y2 is the composition of the vapor passing the liquid x 1.
In a similar manner, the other theoretical trays are stepped off down the tower in
the enriching section to the feed tray. 10
4.4.3C Equation for stripping section

Material balance over dashed-line section: Vm 1 Lm  W (7)

A component A balance: Vm 1 ym 1 Lm xm  Wxw (8)

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Solving for ym+1, the enriching-section operating line is

L WxW
ym 1  m xm  (9)
Vm 1 Vm 1

Again, since equimolal flow flow is assumed, Lm LN = constant and

Vm 1 VN
= constant,
L Veqn. (2) is a straight line when plotted as y versus x,
m m 1
with a slope of . yIt 
intersects
 Wx / Vthe y = x line at x = x w.
W m 1
The intercept at x = 0 is .

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The theoretical stages for the stripping section are determined by starting at
xW, going up to yW, and then across to the operating line, etc.

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4.4.3D Effect of feed conditions

The condition of feed stream is represented by the quantity q, which is the mole
fraction of liquid in feed.

Lm  Ln  qF (10)
Vn Vm  (1  q ) F (11)

The enriching and striping operating-line

equations on an xy diagram can be
derived as follows:

Vn y  Ln x  Dx D (12)
Vm y  Lm x  Wx w (13)

Where the y and x values are the point of

intersection of the two operating lines.
Subtracting eqn.(12) from eqn.(13),

(Vm  Vn ) y ( Lm  Ln ) x  ( Dx D  Wx w ) (14)

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4.4.3D Effect of feed conditions

Substituting eqn.(2), (10), and (11) into eqn.(14) and rearranging,

q x
y x F (15)
q 1 q 1

c pL (Tb  TF ) c pV (TF  Td )
q 1  q 1 
 

Cold-liquid feed Superheated vapor

where
CpL, CpV = specific heats of liquid and vapor, respectively
TF = temperature of feed
Tb, Td = bubble point and dew point of feed respectively
λ = heat of vaporization
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4.4.3E Location of the feed tray in a tower and number of trays.

From eqn.(15), the q-line equation and is the locus of the intersection of the two
operating lines. Setting y = x in eqn(15), the intersection of the q-line equation
with the 45º line is y=x=xF, where xF is the overall composition of the feed.
In given below the figure, the q line is plotted for various feed conditions. The
slope of the q line is q/(q-1).

q = 0 (saturated vapor)
q = 1 (saturated liquid)
q > 1(subcooled liquid)
q < 0 (superheated vapor)
0 < q < 1 (mix of liquid and
vapor)

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4.4.3D Number of stages and trays

1st point

2nd point

3rd point
n = 7 =number of tray + reboiler
Number of tray = 6
4.4.3F Using Operating Lines and the Feed Line in McCabe-Thiele
Design

Slope = R/(R+1)

Slope = q/(1-q)

Slope = L/ V
 Ex 4.7 A continuous fractioning column is to be designed to separate
30,000 kg/h of a mixture of 40 percent benzene and 60 percent toluene
into an overhead product containing 97 percent benzene and a bottom
product containing 98 percent toluene. These percentages are by weight.
A reflux ratio of 3.5 mol to 1 mol of product is to be used. The molal
latent heats of benzene and toluene are 7,360 and 7,960 cal/g mol,
respectively. Benzene and toluene from a nearly ideal system with a
relative volatility of about 2.5. The feed has a boiling point of 95ºC at a
pressure of 1 atm.
a) Calculate the moles of overhead product and bottom product per hour.
b) Determine the number of ideal plates and the position of the feed plate
(i) if the feed is liquid and at its boiling point; (ii) if the feed is liquid and at
20ºC (specific heat 0.44 cal/g.ºC); (iii) if the feed is a mixture of two-thirds
vapor and one-third liquid.
 Solution (a)
40 97 2
78 xD  78 0.974 78
xF  0.440 xB  0.0235
40 60 97 3 2 98
  
78 92 78 92 78 92

100
The average molecular weight of 40 85.8
the feed
60 is

78 92

 0vaporization
The average of heat .44(7,360)  0.56(7,960) 7,696 cal / gmol
is
The feed rate F is 30,000/85.8 = 350 kg mol/h. By an overall benzene
balance, using Eq. below
 0.440  0.0235 
D 350  153.4kgmol / h
 0.974  0.0235 

B 350  153.4 196.6kgmol / h

 Solution (b) (i),
We determine the number of ideal plates and position of the feed plate.
1) Plot the equilibrium diagram, erect verticals at xD, xF, and xB.
2) Draw the feed line. Here q=1, and the feed line is vertical.
3) Plot the operating lines. The intercept of the rectifying lie on
the y axis is, xD/(R+1) = 0.974/(3.5+1) = 0.216 (eqn (6)). From the
intersection of the rectifying operating line and the feed line, the stripping
line is drawn.
4) Draw the rectangular steps between the two operating lines
and the equilibrium curve. The stripping line is at the seventh step. By
counting steps it is found that, besides the reboiler, 11 ideal plates are
needed and feed should be introduced on the seventh plate from the top.
 Solution (b) (ii),
The latent heat of vaporization of the feed λ is 7,696/85.8 = 89.7 cal/g.

0.44(95  20)
q 1  1.37
89.7

q x
y x F
q 1 q 1

The slope of the feed line is -1.37/(1-1.37) = 3.70. When steps are drawn
for this case, as shown in Fig. below, it is found that a reboiler and 10
ideal plates are needed and that the feed should be introduced on the
sixth plate.
 Solution (b) (iii),
From the definition of q it follows that for this case q = 1/3 and the slope
of the feed line is -0.5. The solution is shown in Fig. below. It calls for a
reboiler and 12 plates, with the feed entering on the seventh plate.