Multicomponent Flash Drum Calculation

Reference: Excel workbook file FLASH.XLS. Cell addresses shown below in []

A multicomponent mixture is flashed through
a valve into a drum. The liquid and vapor
products are removed through valved lines.
The spreadsheet carries out a steady-state
design calculation, including the sizing of
the three control valves.

Vapor

Feed

The feed is specified by its composition,

temperature, pressure and flow rate.
The system chosen here is:
acetone, 2-propanol, water
and the feed specifications are:
composition, zi ,i 1,2,3 , mole fraction: 0.294, 0.484, 0.222
temperature: 80C
[B12]
pressure:
20 psia
[B11]
flow rate:
5 kg/s
[B8]

Liquid

[B4:B6]

The density of a liquid mixture of these components can be predicted from the formula
3

mw z
i 1
3

i i

a z
i 1

[B13]

where mwi are the molecular weights, 58.08, 60.09, 18.016,

i i

respectively, and ai are constant parameters, 0.07947, 0.08448, 0.01795, respectively.

This equation is fit by nonlinear regression on the Density Data worksheet and the
performance of the fit is presented on the Density Chart sheet. The density
"experimental" values were obtained from the HYSYS property package.
This allows the feed volumetric flow rate to be calculated. [B9:B10]
The feed mass fractions are obtained from the mole fractions and the molecular weights:

zi

mwi zi
3

mw
j 1

[D4:D6]
j

The heat capacity of the feed mixture is computed by a weighted (by mole fraction) sum
of the component heat capacities at the feed temperature.

CP CPi zi [B17]
i 1

The component heat capacities are

kJ
123 0.186T C
kgmol gK

acetone:

CP1

2-propanol:

CP2

kJ
178.1 0.3066T C
kgmol gK

[B14]

[B15]

This equation is developed by linear regression on the Heat Capacity sheet.

kJ
75.4
kgmol gK

CP3

water:

[B16]

And the feed enthalpy is estimated by

h f C pf T f

[B28]

The feed valve is designed from the nominal design equation

CV

q gpm

P psi
SpGr

[B20]

with a design P of 5.3 psi

[B19]

The above result would be used to specify the valve to a vendor.

A dimensional sizing of the valve is done with the formula

CV m 2

m3

P Pa
kg
3
m

[B21]

The valve is designed to be 25% open ( f ) at the nominal design feed flow rate.
[B22:B23]
With an =% trim and rangeability ( R ) of 50:1 [B24], this requires a stem position ( l ) of
0.646, according to the formula
1

Note: this might be better done by integrating the heat capacities from 0C to the feed
temperature.

f l R l 1

[B25]

The flash vessel is designed on the basis of a 5-minute holdup of feed liquid [E10:E11].
This gives a liquid volume of just over 2 m3 [E12]. An inside diameter of 1.5 m is chosen
[E13] giving a nominal liquid depth of 1.15 m [E15]. The actual vessel is sized to a
height of 2.5 m [E16] to allow sufficient vapor space and freeboard.
The operating pressure of the vessel is selected as 1 atm [E18:E20]. The ideal gas law
is used to compute the number of moles [E25] and the mass [E26] of the vapor in the
vessel. The latter makes use of the average molecular weight of the vapor [M3], which
comes from having calculated the vapor-liquid equilibrium. That is discussed below.
The flash calculation block makes use of vapor-liquid equilibrium and the enthalpy and
component balances on the vessel to determine the compositions and flow rates of the
liquid and vapor streams leaving the vessel. This is an iterative calculation and
proceeds from the estimation of the liquid flow rate [H5] and two liquid compositions
[H6:H7]. The vapor flow rate can then be calculated from the overall mass balance [H9].
The composition of the liquid is known, now that it has been estimated. On the VLE
sheet, the NRTL function is called to carry out the VLE calculation [D10:D13], returning
the vapor compositions and the equilibrium temperature. The enthalpies of the vapor
and liquid streams are then calculated back on the Main sheet. First, the heat capacities
and heats of vaporization are calculated [H14:I16]. Then the liquid and vapor stream
enthalpies are calculated [H20:I21]. To get these on a mass basis, the average
molecular weights are needed [H25:H27]. The enthalpy [L9] and two of the component
balances [L10:L11] are then check calculated2 and a sum-of-squares of balance errors is
computed [L12]. The Solver is then used to adjust the original estimates of liquid flow
rate [H5] and liquid compositions [H6:H7] to close the balances.
With the knowledge of the liquid flow rate and compositions, the liquid control valve is
sized in a similar fashion to the feed valve. The vapor valve is also sized but that uses a
compressible-flow sizing equation,

CV

wV
2.8KC f P G f y 0.148 y 3

[N24]

Ref3

where

wV :
K:
Cf :

P:
G

mw
29

mass flow rate, kg/s

[H9]
units conversion factor, 5.117x108
critical flow factor, depending on valve type, 0.9 chosen here
upstream pressure, absolute, Pa, here, vessel pressure
gas specific gravity at 1 atm and 60F

[N20]
[N18:N19]

[N22]

Note: the enthalpy balance is scaled down by a factor of 1000, so it's equation error will be
commensurate with those of the component mole balances.
3
Smith & Corripio, Principles and Practice of Automatic Process Control, Wiley, 1985, p. 142.

Gf G

289
T K

1.63 P
Cf
P

gas specific gravity at flowing temperature

critical/subcritical flow factor

[N23]

[N21]

For the vapor valve, nominal flow rate is chosen for 25% open and an =% trim is
selected.