Given: Column has 7 theoretical plates + partial reboiler.

Saturated liquid
feed of 100 kmol/h of 50 mol% A is sent to plate 5 from the top. Distillate
contains 90 mol% A. The L/V = 0.75 in the rectifying section. Vaporliquid equilibrium data.
Assumptions: Constant molar overflow. Total condenser.

Find:
Case 1: All plates are functioning properly
(a) Composition of the bottoms product.
(b) The L/V in the stripping section.
(c) The kmol/h of bottoms product.
Case 2: If plates 5, 6, and 7 counted down from the top are ruined:
(a) Composition of bottoms product.
Analysis:
Case 1: Apply the McCabe-Thiele method in terms of component A,
which is more volatile than B. The rectifying section operating line
passes through [0.90, 0.90] with a slope of 0.75. The q-line is vertical
through x = 0.50. Step off 4 stages in the rectifying section. Then, by
trial and error, find an xB with a corresponding stripping section
operating line that gives 4 equilibrium stages in the stripping section.
The result is shown on the following page, where:
(a) Bottoms contains 7 mol% A and 93 mol% B.
(b) The slope of the stripping section operating line from the
coordinates of the line is:
L/V {[0.900.75(0.90.50]0.07}/(0.500.07)1.23

(b) By material balances, F = D + B and FxF = 50 = 0.9D + 0.07B.

Solving these two equations, distillate flow rate = 51.8 kmol/h and
bottoms flow rate = 48.2 kmol/h
Case 2: We now have 4 equilibrium stages and a partial reboiler, with
the feed being sent to the reboiler. Assume that utility rates are such
that L/V and L /V are the same as in Case 1. Then, on the McCabeThiele diagram, the values of xD and xB must shift so that 5 stages are
stepped off, with the fifth, which is the reboiler, intersecting the
stripping section operating line at the 45 o line. This is shown on the
McCabe-Thiele diagram on the following page.
(a) From this diagram, the mole fractions of benzene in the distillate
and bottoms are 0.80 and 0.21, respectively.