CHE 311 MASS TRANSFER AND UNIT OPERATIONS

TUTORIAL-CHAPTER 2 (DISTILLATION)
Questio 1
A liquid mixture of 150 mol/h propanol-water containing 30 mol% is fed into batch distillation to
obtain final propanol content of 10 mol%. he equilibrium data for the mixture is gi!en below"
#ol fraction of
propanol in
liquid$ %xA&
0.00 0.10 0.'0 0.30 0.(0
#ol fraction of
propanol in
!apour$ %)A&
0.00 0.'' 0.3* 0.51 0.+3
i& ,) using the -aleigh equation$ determine the amount of feed that has been distilled.
ii& .etermine the a!erage composition of the distillate.
Questio 2
A liquid containing 50 mol% n-/exane and 50 mol% n-0ctane is required to be separated under
flash distillation until +5% of the liquid is distilled. he !apor pressure-equilibrium data for the
s)stem acetone-methanol at 101.3' 12a is gi!en in the able 1 below"
able 1 3apor-liquid equilibrium data for n-/exane 4 n-0ctane mixture.
em$ 5 3apor 2ressure$
12a %2A
o
&
3apor 2ressure$
12a %2A
o
&
#ol fraction of n-
hexane in liquid
phase xA
#ol fraction of
n-hexane in
gas phase )A
+*.6 101.3 1+.1 1 1
67.( 13+.6 '3.1
73.3 176.3 36.1
106.' '*(.0 56.7 0.17 0.53
1'5.6 (5+.0 101.3 0 0
a& ,) appl)ing the -aoult8s 9aw and .alton 9aw$ determine the mol fraction of hexane in
liquid and !apor phase at temperature 67.( to 73.3
o
5
b& .etermine the composition of !apor %)A& and liquid %xA& at an equilibrium stage.
c& :urther the !apor stream from the flash distillation is sub;ected to a condenser before it
fed to a second flash distillation. Again +5 mol% of the liquid is distillated. .etermine the
composition of the second o!erhead product %)A&.
Questio 3
A mixture containing (0 mol% of ben<ene and +0 mol% of chloroben<ene is separated b)
flash distillation until 60 % of the initial charge is ta1en off as o!erhead. :urther the !apor
stream from the flash distillation is sub;ected to a condenser before it fed to a fractionation
distillation column. A distillated product from the fractionation column containing 75 mol% of
ben<ene and a bottom containing 70 mol% of chloroben<ene. he reflux ratio for this
process is 1.3 and the q !alue used is 0.+. =quilibrium data for ben<ene-chloroben<ene
s)stem is gi!en below.

#ol fraction
of ben<ene
in liquid$ xA
0 0.1 0.' 0.( 0.+ 0.* 0.7 1.0
#ol fraction
of ben<ene
in gas$ )A
0 0.36 0.56 0.6* 0.*7 0.75 0.7* 1.0
i& >1etch the schematic diagram of the s)stem.
ii& .etermine the number of theoretical tra)s.
iii& ?f the reflux ratio were increased$ explain the effect to the number of theoretical stages.
Questio !
A saturated liquid feed of '00 mol/h at the boiling point containing +0 mol% n-heptanes and (0
mol% n-octane is to be fractionated at 101.3' 12a abs to gi!e a distillate containing 76 mol% n-
heptanes and a bottoms containing 10 mol% n-heptanes. he reflux ratio used is '.5"1.
5alculate the mol/h distillate$ mol/h bottoms$ theoretical number of tra)s$ and the feed tra)
number. he relati!e !olatilit) of n-heptane-n-octane is gi!en '.5.
Questio "
A total feed of 100 mol/h ha!ing an o!erall composition of 55 mol% heptane and (5 mol% eth)l
ben<ene is to be fractionated at 101.3 12a pressure to gi!e a distillate containing 76 mol%
heptane and a bottoms containing 10 mol% heptane. he feed enters the tower partiall)
!apori<ed so that (0 mol% is liquid and +0 mol% !apor. 5alculate"
a. #oles per hour distillate and bottoms
b. #inimum reflux ratio -m.
c. #inimum steps and theoretical tra)s at total reflux.
d. heoretical number of tra)s and feed tra) number required for an operating reflux ratio is
1.+-m.
e. @umber of actual tra)s if the o!erall tra) efficienc) is *0%.
xA 0 0.0*0 0.'50 0.(*5 0.670 1.000
)A 0 0.'30 0.51( 0.630 0.70( 1.000
Questio #
A mixture containing 60 mol% of ben<ene and 30 mol% of toluene enter a fractioning tower at
101.3' 12a. he distillate is to contain 75 mol% of ben<ene while the bottoms is 7' mol%
toluene. he feed is entering the tower at its dew point. he relati!e !olatilit) of ben<ene and
toluene is 1.5. .etermine the number of theoretical stages and location of feed stage when the
reflux ratio is ("1.
Questio $
A saturated liquid feed of '00 mol/h at the boiling point containing (' mol% heptanes and 5*
mol% eth)l ben<ene is to be fractionated at 101.3' 12a abs to gi!e a distillate containing 76 mol
% heptanes and a bottoms containing 1.1 mol% heptanes. he equilibrium data are gi!en below
at 101.3' 12a abs pressure for the mole fraction n-heptane.
#ol fraction of n-heptane in liquid phase %xA& 0 0.0* 0.'5 0.(7 0.67 1
#ol fraction of n-heptane in !apor phase %)A& 0 0.'3 0.51 0.63 0.70 1
a& .etermine the minimum reflux ratio$ -m.
b& .etermine the minimum number of theoretical plates at total reflux.
c& he reflux ratio used is '.'6-m$ determine"
a. he distillate and bottoms flow rate in mol/h.
b. he theoretical number of tra)s.
c. he feed tra) number.
Questio %
An outlet stream 50 mol/h of reactor consists of (0 mol% heptane and +0 mol% of eth)l
ben<ene is to be further fractionated at 101.3' 12a. A distillate contains 7+ mol% heptane and a
bottoms of 7( mol% eth)l ben<ene are to be obtained. he equilibrium data for heptane-eth)l
ben<ene s)stem is gi!en in able 1.
#ol fraction of heptane in liquid phase %xA& 0 0.0* 0.'5 0.(*5 0.67 1
#ol fraction of heptane in !apor phase %)A& 0 0.'3 0.51( 0.63 0.70( 1
a& .etermine the distilate and bottom flowrate in mol/h.
b& .etermine the !alue of q when"
i& his stream enters the column as an equilibrium mixture at '0 mol/h of liquid and
30 mol/h of !apor.
ii& his stream enters as saturated liquid.
iii& his stream enters as saturated !apor.
i!& his stream enters as saturated mixture and the enthalp) !alues are gi!en"
=nthalp) of feed at entrance condition" 150000 1A/1gmol
=nthalp) of feed at boiling point" **00 1A/1gmol
=nthalp) of feed at dew point" 1((500 1A/1gmol
c& .etermine the minimum number of stages of the column.
d& Bse the q !alue when the stream enters the column as an equilibrium mixture at '0
mol/h of liquid and 30 mol/h of !apor. .etermine"
i& he minimum reflux ration$ -min.
ii& he number of the theoretical stages if the actual reflux ratio is 1.6'-min.
iii& he actual number of the stages if the o!erall efficienc) is *0%.
Questio &
A feed of 100 mol/h of mixture containing +0 mol% carbon tetrachloride and (0 mol% carbon
disulfide is fed to an intermediate point of a continuous distillation column. he column operates
at atmospheric pressure to gi!e a distillate containing 71 mol% purit) and contain *5% of the
more !olatile component in the feed. he !alue of 9/3 in the stripping section is 1.+. he feed
enters the column as (0 mol% !apor. he equilibrium data for the solution is gi!en in the table
below"
#ol fraction carbon tetrachloride in a liquid phase$ xA 0 0.0* 0.'5 0.(7 0.67 1
#ol fraction carbon tetrachloride in a !apor phase$ )A 0 0.'3 0.51 0.63 0.70 1
a& 5alculate the molar flow rate at distillate and bottom.
b& 5alculate the mole fraction of more !olatile component in the bottom.
c& 5alculate the q !alue.
d& :ind the reflux ratio !alue.
e& .etermine the number of theoretical stages and the location of feed stage.
f& 5alculate the actual number of stage if the o!erall efficienc) is *5%
Questio 1'
a. ?n continuous distillation$ one of the parameter which used in #c5abe-hiele method is
the parameter feed line %q&. ,) s1etching a rele!ant x-) diagram$ s1etch and label the q-
line for fi!e %5& different t)pes of pahse in feed$ namel)$ subcooled liquid$ saturated
liquid$ saturated mixture$ saturated !apor and superheated !apor. >tate as well the !elue
or range of feed line %q& for each feed condition.
b. A continuous distillation column handles a mixture consisting of 35 mol% of ben<ene and
+5 mol% of toluene at the rate 1+0 1mol/h and separates it into a product containing 76
mol% of ben<ene in o!erhead and a liquid containing 7* mol% toluene. he feed enters
the column as 35 mol% !apor.
able 3apor-liquid equilibrium data for ben<ene-toluene mixture
i. 5alculate the molar flow rate of distillate in 1mol/h.
ii. 5alculate the molar flow rate of bottom in 1mol/h.
iii. 5alculate number of theoretical plate required if reflux ratio of '.6 is emplo)ed.
i!. 5alculate the actual number of plate if the column efficienc) is *5%.
Questio 11
#ole fraction
of ben<ene in
liquid$ x
0 0.1 0.' 0.3 0.( 0.5 0.+ 0.6 0.* 0.7 1.0
#ole fraction
of ben<ene in
!apour$ )
0 0.'' 0.3* 0.51 0.+3 0.60 0.*5 0.*5 0.71 0.7+ 1.00
An equimolar mixture of acetone and water from the outlet stream of flash column is to be
further fractionated at 101.3 12a$ while entering the tower at its boiling point. he distillate is to
contain 75 mol% acetone and the bottoms 5 mol% acetone. .uring the process$ 3 moles of
distillate is remo!ed for e!er) ( moles returned to the unit as reflux. he equilibrium data for this
s)stem can be represented b) the following equation" ) C 1.7%x&. .etermine"
i& he schematic diagram of the s)stem.
ii& he molar flowrates of the distillate and bottoms products.

iii& he q !alue.
i!& he number of theoretical stages and the position of the feed stage.
!& he actual number of stage if the efficienc) is +5%.
Questio 12
As an assistant engineer$ )ou ha!e been assigned to anal)<e the problem that occurred in the
distillation column which cannot produce the desired product purification. >uggest four %(&
possible solutions to o!ercome this problem so that the distillation column achie!ed the desired
product purification.
Questio 13
a. .escribe the following terminologies in the distillation column process"
i& 3olatilit)
ii& -eflux ratio.
iii& otal reflux ratio.
i!& #inimum reflux ratio.
!& =nriching column
!i& >tripping column
b. =xplain the principle of distillation process with appropriate diagram.
c. .eri!e the equation for the simple batch distillation b) -aleigh equation.