Distillation

Dr:Afaf Ghais Abadi

 Distillation Process
Binary Distillation: Batch , Flash and
Fractional Distillation.
Multi components distillation.
Design of Distillation Columns

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Equilibrium relationship:

Pi xi Pi 0 this law only applicable for ideal solutions .

Systems of low to moderate pressure, chemically similar species.

Pi yi PT

Pi 0
xi Pi 0 yi PT yi xi y i K i xi
PT

Pi Hxi
Species of low concentration, low to moderate pressure.
H= Henrys law constant (solubility)
* the constant is obtained from tables.

Calculation of ( poi )
B
log Pi 0 A
C T
There are two structures of Antoine equation depending on
the Obtained A,B,C constants.

The pressure at which the

component vaporize. PT PB0
xA 0
PA PB0
 :
Ki
ij
Kj
* Reference component Less Volatile Component (LVC)

ij > 1 easy separation

ij 1 difficult separation
ij < 1 impossible separation

Pi 0 y i x j (1)
ij 0
Pj x j yi

yi (1 y j ) and xi (1 x j ) (2)

From (1) and (2) :

x y
y x
1 x( 1) y (1 )
* It is a unity component

* It is a function of pressure and composition or

temperature and composition
K-value is the measure of the tendency of
component I to vapourize K valueof i
ij
K valueof j
Ki=mole fraction of component I in vapour
phase
mole fraction of component I in liquid phase

The K-value
can be found
using
ChemCad

Figure :De Priester chart AT-values for hydrocarbons,

low temperature
Example 1
 + 1 =
 Example
The data of Rhodes, Wells, and Murray indicate
that the system phenol-o-cresol obeys Raoult's
law. Using the vapor pressure data tabulated
below, construct the following curves for 75
mm. Hg abs. pressure:
1. Temperature-mol fraction diagram giving
both the vapor and the liquid curves.
2. Mol fraction ,of phenol in vapor phase, y, vs.
the mol fraction of phenol in liquid, x.
3. Relative Volatility vs. the mol fraction of
phenol in the liquid.
4. Mol fraction of phenol in the vapor vs. the
mol fraction of phenol in the liquid, using as an
average value of the relative volatility, a, the
arithmetic mean value of a at x 0, and x 1.0.
 Solution
1. Let mol fraction of phenol in liquid xp.
2. Choose a temperature, T.
3. Read vapor pressures at T:PP , Poc .
4. Employ the combined form of Raoult's and
Dalton's laws
Tabulated results
Single stage equilibrium contact for
vapor-liquid system
Example 3
Solution
 Distillation Types
1. Batch Distillation (Differential).
2. Flash Distillation (Equilibrium).
3. Fractionation Distillation
(Enrichment).

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The Batch (Differential Distillation )operation requires a much simpler
apparatus, but is complicated because the process is now a function of time.

Total condenser
Differential
Distillation

Overhead vapor
Distillate

QB

No reflux Liquid composition x(t)

No boilup Distillate composition y(t)
No reboiler Distillate flow D(t)
No cascade Liquid remaining W(t)
No feed stream
No countercurrent flow

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20
Fractional distillation
 Batch Distillation
Differential Total condenser
The rate of depletion of the liquid is Distillation
equal to the rate of distillate output Overhead Distillate
vapor D(t), y=yD=xD
In put -out =accumulated
QB
-D= dW/dt
Liquid left in still
W(t), x=xw
The instantaneous rate of depletion of a
component in the liquid is given by:

d dxW dW
Wx W W xW
dt dt dt
Change in total
Change in Change in the
amount of that
composition total amount
component
in the liquid of the liquid
in the liquid 22
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 The instantaneous rate of the component
leaving in the distillate is:

Dy D

Conservation of species requires that these two rates be equal

to each other:

d dxW dW
Wx W W xW Dy D
dt dt dt
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 Rate of depletion equals the component flow rate in Distillate

d dxW dW
Wx W W xW Dy D
dt dt dt
Multiplying the above equation by dt gives:
WdxW xW dW y D Ddt
But we know that the rate of total liquid depletion is equal to the
flow rate of distillate:

dW Ddt
Which then gives:

Wdx W xW dW y DdW
Rearranging to use separation of variables gives:

dxW dW

y D xW W 24
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The distillate composition and liquid composition are related through
an equilibrium equation (y=kx). We can then integrate both sides:

1 x w
dx dW ln ln
k 1 xo wo
xk 1 W
If the mixture is a binary and the relative volatility constant we can
substitute the relationship:
AB x A
yA

1 x A AB 1
and then integrate both sides to obtain:

1 xo 1 x wo
ln ln ln
1 x 1 xo w
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 Flash Distillation Solution

Flash distillation problems can be solved using three

sets of equations:
Equilibrium relationship
Mass balance

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 Flash Distillation
Energy Parameters
Heater Input QH
Feed Enthalpy hF
Vapor Enthalpy HV
Liquid Enthalpy hL
Upstream Feed Temperature T1
Feed Temperature TF
Drum Temperature Td

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 Flash Distillation Pressures
The pressure, Pd, in the flash drum is chosen such that the feed
is above its boiling point at Td, so that some of it vaporizes.
Pd < Po v
The pressure, P1, is chosen such that the upstream feed is
below its boiling point and remains liquid at T1.

The pump and heater assist in adjusting the required pressures

and temperatures of the system.

If the feed is already hot enough, the heater may not be

needed, and if the pressure of the flash drum is low enough,
the pump may not be needed.

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 Flash Distillation Mass Balances

Overall mass balance

F VL
Component mass balance

Fxf Vy Lx

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 Flash Distillation Operating Line

Solving the overall mass balance for y yields

L F
y x xf
V V

which is termed the operating line. It relates the

composition of the streams leaving the stage or drum.

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 Common problem specifications.

Liquid to vapor ratio

L/V
Fraction of feed vaporized
f = V/F
Fraction of feed remaining as liquid
q = L/F

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 Operating Line Form
(Fraction Vaporized)
From the overall mass balance

L F V 1 V/F 1 f

V V V/F f
then

1- f 1
y x xf
f f
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 Operating Line Form
Fraction Remaining as Liquid
or
L L L/F q

V F - L 1 - L/F 1 - q
and

q 1
y x x f
1- q 1 q
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 Operating Lines Linear!
Slope L 1 f q

V f 1 q
y Intercept
F 1 1
z z z
V f 1- q
x intercept
F 1 1
z z z
L 1- f q 35
 EXAMPLE. Flash separator for ethanol and
water
A flash distillation chamber operating at 101.3
kPa is separating an ethanol water mixture. The
feed mixture is 40 mole % ethanol. (a) What is
the maximum vapor composition and (b) what is
the minimum liquid composition that can be
obtained if V/F is allowed to vary? (c) If V/F =
2/3, what are the liquid and vapor
compositions? (d) Repeat step c, given that F is
specified as 1,000 kg moles/hr.
 Answer
A. Define. We wish to analyze the performance of a flash
separator at 1 atm.
a. Find ymax.
b. Find xmin.
c. and d. Find y and x for V/F = 2/3.
B. Explore. Note that pdrum = 101.3 kPa = 1 atm. Thus we must
use data at this pressure. These data are conveniently available
in Table 2-1 and Figure 2-2. Since pdrum and V/F for part c are
given, a sequential solution procedure will be used. For parts a
and b we will look at limiting values of V/F.
C. Plan. We will use the y-x diagram as illustrated in Figure 2-2.
For all cases we will do a mass balance to derive an operating
line [we could use Eqs. (2-11), but I wish to illustrate deriving an
operating line]. Note that 0 V/F 1.0. Thus our maximum and
minimum values for V/F must lie within this range.
D. Do It. Sketch is shown.
Mass Balances: F = V + L
Fz = Vy + Lx
Solve for y:
y = L/V*x +F/V*z
From the overall balance, L = F V. Thus
when V/F = 0.0, V = 0, L = F, and L/V = F/0 =
when V/F = 2/3, V = (2/3)F, L = (1/3)F, and L /V =
(1/3)F/[(2/3)F] = 1/2
when V/F = 1.0, V = F, L = 0, and L /V = 0/F = 0
Thus the slopes (L/ V) are , 1/2, and 0.
 If we solve for the y = x interception, we find it at y = x
= z = 0.4 for all cases.
Thus we can plot three operating lines through y = x =
z = 0.4, with slopes of , 1/2 and 0. These
operating lines were shown in the next Figure .
a. Highest y is for V/F = 0: y = 0.61 [x = 0.4]
b. Lowest x is for V/F = 1.0: x = 0.075 [y = 0.4]
c. When V/F is 2/3, y = 0.52 and x = 0.17
d. When F = 1,000 with V/F = 2/3, the answer is
exactly the same as in part c.
The feed rate will affect the drum diameter and the
energy needed in the preheater.
McCabe-Thiele Analysis

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Thanks