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DESIGN OF DISTILLATION
COLUMN
ASHLESH MANGRULKAR
13045020
CARPE DIEM

 Please keep your cell phones on silent.

CONTENTS
1. Introduction to Distillation
2. Types of distillation
3. The Mccabe-thiele Method
1. Equilibrium Curve
2. Operating Lines
1. Feed Line
2. Stripping Section
3. Rectifying Section
3. Feed Plate Location
4. Reflux Considerations

4. MATLAB Simulation
5. Tray and Plate Design

DISTILLATION
A process in which a liquid or vapour mixture
of two or more substances is separated into its
component fractions of desired purity by the
applications and removal of heat.
Distillation is based on the fact that the
vapour of a boiling mixture will be richer in the
components that have lower boiling points.
Therefore when this vapour is cooled and
condensed , the condensate will contain more
volatile components. At the same time, the
original mixture will contain more of the less
volatile material.
Distillation columns are designed to achieve
this separation efficiently.

Examples:
a) The separation of a
mixture of alcohol and
water into its component.

b) The separation of crude

petroleum into gasoline,
kerosene and fuel oil.

Types of Distillation

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BATCH DISTILLATION
It is a simple distillation where the liquid is charged to a reboiler
(still), is boiled slowly and the vapors are taken directly from the
condenser.
Batch Distillation is used in a small plant to recover volatile products
from liquid solution.

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Batch Distillation with Reflux

Batch distillation with a simple still does not give a good
separation unless the relative volatility is high.
Reflux is used to improve the performance of the batch
still

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CONTINUOUS DISTILLATION
Continuous distillation, a form ofdistillation, is an ongoing
separation in which a mixture is continuously (without
interruption) fed into the process and separated fractions are
removed continuously as output streams.
A mixture is heated up, and routed into the distillation column.
On entering the column, the feed starts flowing down but part
of it, the component(s) with lower boiling point(s), vaporizes
and rises.
However, as it rises, it cools and while part of it continues up
as vapor, some of it (enriched in the lessvolatilecomponent)
begins to descend again.

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DEFINITIONS
Enriching section or rectifying section of the column are the stages
(and condenser) above the feed stage.
Stripping section of the column are the stages (and reboiler) below
the feed stage
Reflux stream is a stream that essentially recycles a portion of the
vapor product stream back to the upper stage.
Boil up stream is a stream that essentially recycles a portion of the
liquid product stream back to the lowest stage.
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THE McCABE-THIELE METHOD

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 This method uses theequilibrium curvediagram to determine

thenumber of theoretical stages (trays)required toachieve
a desired degree of separation.
TheVLE datamust be available at the operating pressure of the
column.
Information required are thefeed condition (temperature,
composition), distillate and bottom compositions; and the
reflux ratio, which, is defined as the ratio of reflux liquid over
the distillate product
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DESIGN PROCEDURE
Start with VLE data and draw an x-y diagram.
Determine the three operating lines and draw them on the x-y diagram.
Using the rectifying operating line and the equilibrium curve draw steps
from the distillate composition to the feed point.
Count the number of steps. Each one equals an equilibrium or theoretical
stage.
Using the stripping operating line and the equilibrium curve draw steps
from the bottoms composition to the feed point.
Add the number of steps to the previous to give the total number of
equilibrium stages.
Convert this to a number of plates by dividing by the plate efficiency.

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EQUILIBRIUM CURVE

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 Vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) undergirds the bulk of industrial

separation processes, particularly in distillation processes.

The composition of the liquid phase will be designated by the

mole fraction of the more volatile component(x). The mole
fraction of the other component in the liquid is 1 -x.
The mole fraction of the vapor will be represented byy, with
1 -ybeing the composition of the other component in the
vapor phase.
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Contd.

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Contd.

Distillation columns use this principle,

effectively repeating the separation
process at individual trays within a
column.
Two sieve trays are shown. Hot vapour
(shown in white) flows up through the
holes in the sieve tray and vigorously
bubbles through the liquid (shown in
blue). The vapour and liquid mix on this
tray and the new mixture boils. The
composition of the liquid,x, leaving the
will be enriched in the less volatile
component while the composition of the
vapour,y, will be enriched in the more
volatile component.
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The system tends to reach equilibrium on each tray because some of

theless volatile component condenses from the rising vapour into
the liquid, thus increasing the concentration of the more volatile
component in the vapour as it moves upwards,
e.g. y n> yn+1.
Some of themore volatile component is vaporized from the
liquidon the tray, thus decreasing the concentration of the more volatile
component in the liquid as it moves downwards, e.g. xn-1> xn.

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IMPORTANT ASSUMPTIONS
Before we can calculate the equations of the operating lines, we must
consider the following assumptions.
The vapour and liquid streams inside the column are assumed to
besaturatedat their respective dew points and bubble points
corresponding to the position in the column.
The heat released by one mole of vapour upon condensation
isapproximately equalto the heat required to vaporize one mole of the
liquid.
The number of molecules passing from the vapour phase to the liquid
phase and vice versa will be approximately the same:equimolar Contd..
counter-diffusion.
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Contd..

If the molar heats of vaporization are approximately constant, we can

assume that the flows of liquid and vapour are nearly constant in each
section of the column, i.e.

L1= L2= L3= ......... = Ln= constant

V1= V2= V3= ......... = Vn= constant
This is the important concept ofconstant molal overflow.
Separation is achieved with the vapour rich in the more volatile
component leaving the top of the column, and the liquid rich in the less
volatile component leaving the bottom of the column.
The temperature decreases as one moves up the column, i.e. T n+1> Tn>
Tn-1.
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REFLUX
Refluxis a technique involving
thecondensationof vapours and the
return of this condensate to the system
from which it originated.
It is the portion of the overhead liquid
product from a distillation column or
fractionator that is returned to the upper
part of the column. The down flowing
reflux liquid provides cooling and
condensationof the up flowing vapours
thereby increasing the efficiency of the
distillation column.
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FEED SECTION OPERATING LINE

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 Liquid flow = q F moles/hr

vapour flow = (1-q) F moles/hr
Overall material balance:
L' = L + q F
V = V' + (1-q) F

Component balance for the

more volatile component
Rectifying section :V y = L x
+ D xD
Stripping section :V' y = L' x
- B xB

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At the feed point where the two lines operating lines intersect:
( V - V' ) y = ( L - L' ) x + D xD+ B xB , we have:

V - V' = ( 1 - q ) F
L - L' = - q F

addition, from component balance around the entire column:

F xF= D xD+ B xB

us, ( 1 - q ) F y = - q F x + F xF
Note that the q-line passes through the point
(xF, xF) forall values of q

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 For a given feed condition,

xFand q are fixed,
therefore the
q-line is
a straight line with:

slope -q / (1-q)
intercept xF/ (1-q).
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RECTIFYING SECTION OPERATING LINE

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 Consider the
rectifying section as
shown in theFigure.
(System shows a
total condenser and
the reflux is at
bubble point)

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 Material balance around the envelope

shown:
Overall Balance (Total):

Vn+1= Ln + D

Component Balance (MVC): Vn+1yn+1=

Lnxn+ D xD
Underconstant
Thus, we have molal
(Ln+ D) yn+1= Lnxn+
Doverflowassumption:
xD
L1= L2= .......... Ln-1= Ln= Ln+1= L =
constant
V1= V2= .......... Vn-1= Vn= Vn+1= V =
constant
(L + D) yn+1= L xn+ D xD
L+D
L+D
Re-arranging in the form y = f(x), we
have

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 IntroducingReflux Ratio R = L / D,

the operating linepasses through

the point (xD, xD) on the 45o
diagonal line.

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STRIPPING SECTION OPERATING LINE

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 Analysis of the stripping section is

not really required, as SOL can be
automatically fixed once ROL and
q-line are drawn.
The SOL is the last line to draw, by
connecting xBon the diagonal to
the point of intersection between
the ROL and q-line. With ROL fixed,
when the q-line changes the SOL
changes as well.

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Assuming constant molal

overflow
L'm= L'm+1= .... = L' = constant
V'm= V'm+1= ..... = V' =
constant
Material balance:
Overall : L' = V' + B'
MVC : L' xm= V' ym+1+ B xB
Substituting, and re-arrange in
the form y = f(x), we obtain
V-Bx
V
ym+1=Lx
m
B
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 Dropping the subscripts, we have

This is straight line with slope

( L' / L' - B), intercept ( B xB/ L' B)
In addition, when x = xB, y = xB,
i.e. the operating line passed
through ( xB, xB) on the
45odiagonal line.

Variation of Stripping operating Line

with q line. xB is joined with the point of
intersection of q-line with Rectifying
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feed line.

FEED PLATE CALCULATION AND

LOCATION
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 Optimum locationwould be the one represented by the triangle

that hasone corner on the rectifying lineand theother
corner on the stripping line.
In transferring from the rectifying section to the stripping section,
the steps on the diagram should be kept as large as possible, and
the transition is made at the first opportunity after passing
the intersection point.

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Step down
to SOL at
first
opportunit
y
7
plates

8
plates

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MATLAB SIMULATION
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 Distillate feed fraction : 90% = xd

Bottom feed fraction: 10% = xb
Feed mole fraction: 50% = xf
Reflux Ratio :1.51435
Feed Quality : 0.85 = q
Compute equations and calculate intersection
yi=(zf+xd*q/R)/(1+q/R);
xi=(-(q-1)*(1-R/(R+1))*xd-zf)/((q-1)*R/(R+1)-q);
%Equilibrium curve computation using function equilib and
constant relative volatility alpha=2.45.

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REFLUX CONSIDERATIONS

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Reflux Considerations
The two extremes are Total Reflux and Minimum Reflux.
Total Reflux - all condensate is returned, no product is taken off and no
feed added.
This gives the minimum number of stages to achieve the separation.
Minimum Reflux - reducing R requires more stages to achieve the
separation. Further reduction creates a pinch point where an infinite
number of stages is required.
Minimum reflux happens when the intersection of the operating lines
lies on the equilibrium curve

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Total Reflux
Allvapouriscondensedandreturnedasliquid
Minimumnumberofplates
CanuseFenskeequationtocalculateNmin

Sometimes a column is operated in total reflux at

start-up.

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Minimum Reflux
Min Reflux happens when
the two operating lines
intersect with the feed line
on equilibrium curve.

Wherex,yistheintersectionofline
withcurve

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Optimum Reflux Ratio

A trade off between operating

cost and capital cost is needed.
Increase R, Less stages, less
capital cost BUT also more
boiling and condensing
Decrease R More stages, More
capital cost BUT also less
boiling and condensing
Capital and operating costs
combine to give a total cost.
This is minimised with the
following rule of thumb - R =
1.1 to 1.5 times Rmin
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TRAYS AND PLATES

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TRAYS AND PLATES

Trays and plates encourage vapour liquid contact so that falling
liquid partially vaporises and rising vapour partially condenses to
create more equilibrium stages.
This involves heat transfer which takes time. The plate provides
an environment in which this can happen.
Trays should aim to minimise pressure drop.
The main designs are:
Bubble cap
Sieve tray
Valve tray

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BUBBLE CAP TRAY

A number of small caps mounted on a riser. The cap is wider than
the riser so the vapour flows up the riser and is then forced down
around it on to the tray. A shallow pool of liquid is retained on the
tray by means of a low weir. The area of the riser and the annular
area between the riser and cap should be kept equal so the flowrate is not restricted.

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SIEVE TRAY
A horizontal perforated sheet with a weir on one side. Same diameter as the
column. The vapour passes through a shallow pool of liquid. Vapour passes
straight upward through the liquid on the plate. The
arrangement, number and size of the holes are design
parameters.

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VALVE TRAYS
It has a number of perforations. Each perforation is covered by a
flap or valve which is only lifted by the vapour flow. The tray may
be modified to contains risers like the bubble cap tray in which
case the valve sits on top of the riser. Vapour flow depends on the
flow rate it-self, these trays can operate over a wide range of flow
rates. It is not necessary to replace the trays if the flow rate is
changed.

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TRAY EFFICIENCY - MURPHREE

For an ideal tray, the vapour leaving is in equilibrium with the liquid
leaving.
This may not happen in practice.
The Murphree efficiency is defined as:

Where Emv = Murphree efficiency for vapour

yn = actual vapour composition of tray n, yn-1 = actual vapour composition
of tray n-1
y*e = vapour composition in equilibrium with liquid on tray n
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PACKING

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PACKING
Can be used instead of trays.
Very useful for small columns where installation of trays is
difficult.
Packing typically has a lower pressure drop than trays which
makes it favourable for vacuum columns.
Vapour liquid contact may not be as good. The liquid moves
towards the walls and vapour flows more readily in the areas free
of liquid.
Redistributors may be necessary.
Quantity of height of packing = no. of stages x HETP;
HETP = height equivalent to a theoretical plate
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HETP
HETPis an acronym for the Height Equivalent to the Theoretical
Plate. It is numerically equal to the column length divided by the
number of theoretical plates in the column.
The height of a particular packing that is equivalent to a
theoretical plate does not just depend on its physical shape.
The vapour flow rate up the column also affects this number.
1.5 to 2 sizes of common packings allow the same vapour
velocity as a sieve tray and have a HETP of 0.3 to 0.6 m.

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