f01_11

Seader & Henley, Separation Process Principles

1
Separation Processes
Absorption Solutes removed from a gas into a liquid
Solutes removed from liquid into gas is called stripping or desorption
Distillation Thermal vapor-liquid separation processes (Ch 11); vapor
phase generated from liquid
Liquid-liquid extraction Solute extracted from liquid A into an
immiscible liquid B (a solvent)
Leaching (extraction) Solute extracted from a solid into a solvent phase
(liquid, dense gas, or supercritical fluid)
Membrane processing Molecules separated using a dense (non
-porous film) or porous physical barrier
Filtration Suspended solids separated from a liquid or gas phase using a
porous membrane
2
Methanol more
volatile than water
P
m
> P
w

P
m
> 1 atm
Vapor-liquid equilibria...
(e.g. ideal, methanol-water system)
BP diagram at const P (ideal)
dew-point
bubble-point
x = y
(1 component)
x-y diagram at const P
P (= p
m
+ p
w
) diagram at const T
3
f02_18
Ethanol more
volatile
!
e
P
e
> !
h
P
h

Ethanol less
volatile
!
e
P
e
< !
h
P
h

x = y
at 58
o
C
Low T
High T
Vapor-liquid equilibria...
(e.g. non-ideal, n-hexane-ethanol system)
4
The greater the
separation
between the
equilibrium and 45
o
line, the easier the
separation
Getting into separations
x = y
x-y diagram at const P

!
"
AB
=
y
A
/ x
A
y
B
/ x
B
=
y
A
/ x
A
(1# y
A
) /(1# x
A
)
"
AB
=
P
A
P
B

!
y
A
=
"
AB
x
A
1+ ("
AB
#1)x
A
if "
AB
=1, y
A
= x
A
5
The greater the
separation
between the
equilibrium and 45
o
line, the easier the
separation
Simple flash distillation
(single stage; heated to T, phase split)
x = y
x-y diagram at const P

!
F =V + L
Fx
F
=Vy + Lx
" Fx
F
=Vy + (F #V)x
heater
separator
F, x
F
V, y
L, x
6
f01_11
Where liquid is
stripped of A by
raising vapor from
reboiler
Stripping section
Binary distillation of components A & B
(A is more volatile, e.g. methanol (A)-water (B) system)
Where cold reflux
liquid condenses
some or the vapor
Enriching section
Vapor
enriched
in A
Liquid
depleted of
A
Near y
A
= 1 @ T
B,A
(light boiler)
Near x
B
= 1 @ T
B,B
(high boiler)
7
!
F = D+W (molar flow)
Fx
F
= Dx
D
+Wx
W
D
F
=
x
F
" x
W
x
D
" x
W
,
W
F
=
x
D
" x
F
x
D
" x
W
!
V
m+1
= L
m
"W
V
m+1
y
m+1
= L
m
x
m
- Wx
W
!
y
m+1
=
L
m
V
m+1
x
m
"
W
V
m+1
x
W
!
V
n+1
= L
n
+ D
V
n+1
y
n+1
= L
n
x
n
+ Dx
D
!
y
n+1
=
L
n
V
n+1
x
n
"
D
V
n+1
x
D
W
x
W
8
Approximation - Constant molal overflow
Liquid and vapor flowrates are nearly constant in rectifying
(top) and stripping (bottom + feed plate) sections
L
n
=L
n+1
=L
n+2
V
n
=V
n+1
=V
n+2

L and V, rectifying; L and V, stripping
!H
v
(condensing high boiler) ! !H
v
(vaporizing low boiler)
Operating equations or lines are linear
!
y
n+1
=
L
n
V
n+1
x
n
"
D
V
n+1
x
D
!
y
m+1
=
L
m
V
m+1
x
m
"
W
V
m+1
x
W
9
Variables
# Plates, plate design, height of
column, etc. (later)
Cooling in condenser
Liquid returned to top of column
(reflux)
Heating in reboiler
Vapor returned to bottom of column
Location and conditions of feed
Cold? Hot? L or V or L-V?
10
!
R =
L
n
D
=
V
n+1
" D
D
(overhead product, L at B.P.)
!
y
n+1
=
R
R+1
x
n
"
1
R+1
x
D
Top plate (1) Total
condenser
Partial
condenser
11
Reboiler with saturated steam
Condenser with cooling water
Heating and cooling requirements
!
m
s
=
V
m+1
"
"
s
!
" = latent heat steam
"
s
= latent heat vapor mixture
V
m+1
= vapor flowrate from reboiler (stripping section)
!
m
w
=
V
n+1
"
(T
2
#T
1
)c
p,w
!
c
p,w
= heat capacity cooling water
(T
2
"T
1
) = Temp change in cooling water
V
n+1
= vapor flowrate into condensor
12
q > 1
(sub-cooled L)
q = 1
(@ BP)
0 < q < 1
(L-V)
q = 0
(@ D.P.)
q < 0
(superheated V)
Feed conditions
!
q =
moles L in stripping section from feed
moles feed
q =
H
V
(D.P.) " H
F
H
V
(D.P.) " H
L
(B.P.)
q =
(H
V
" H
L
) + c
p,L
(T
B
"T
F
)
H
V
" H
L
!
L
m
= L
n
+ qF (stripping)
V
n
=V
m
+ (1"q)F (rectifying)
!
y =
q
1"q
x "
1
1"q
x
F
13
McCabe-Thiele Method - # of ideal plates
McCabe & Thiele, Industrial Engineering & Chemistry Research, 17 (1925) 605.
V=L, R"" (total reflux)
y=x (P=P
i
at each tray)
14
!
y
n+1
=
R
R+1
x
n
"
1
R+1
x
D
x
D
# design condition
R # design variable
Rectifying section
15
Stripping section
!
y
m+1
=
L
m
V
m+1
x
m
"
W
V
m+1
x
W
16
Feed conditions (feed line)
@ D.P.
@ B.P.
!
y
n+1
=
R
R+1
x
n
"
1
R+1
x
D
!
y
m+1
=
L
m
V
m+1
x
m
"
W
V
m+1
x
W
!
y =
q
1"q
x "
1
1"q
x
F
17
Putting it all together
!
y
n+1
=
L
n
V
n+1
x
n
"
D
V
n+1
x
D
!
y
m+1
=
L
m
V
m+1
x
m
"
W
V
m+1
x
W
!
y =
q
1"q
x "
1
1"q
x
F
18
Stepping off stages (start at x
D
)
What we want in
overhead product
What we want in
bottoms product
(start here)
operating equilibrium
x = x
F
4 stages + reboiler
19
x = x
W
Minimum # of plates
!
"
av
= ("
A
"
B
)
1/ 2
!
Fenske equation :
N
m
=
ln
x
D
(1" x
D
)
(1" x
W
)
x
W
#
$
%
&
'
(
ln)
av
*includes rebioler
OR
x
B
x
D
V=L (op lines = 45
o
)
R"! (total reflux)
20
Minimum reflux
(occurs @ pinch point, P)
!
y
n+1
=
R
R+1
x
n
"
1
R+1
x
D
!
R
m
R
m
+1
=
x
D
" y
'
x
D
" x
'
y
'
, x
'
@ pinch point
21