TUTORIAL-1

11-08-2014
1. A binary mixture of methanol (30% by weight) and ethanol (70% by weight) is to be
separated by fractionation to obtain each of 95% purity by weight. Calculate the
minimum reflux and the number of ideal plates at total reflux if the feed is 30%
vaporized. Also calculate the actual number of plates if a reflux ratio of twice the
minimum is used when the overall plate efficiency is 60%.
The system follows Raoults law. The following vapour pressure data are available.
Temperature, C
Methanol, mm Hg
Ethanol, mm Hg

64
760
420

67
820
430

70
920
470

73
1020
610

76
1150
690

78
1260
760

2. A continuous fractionator is to be designed for separating a feed mixture containing

equal masses of CCl4 and CS2 to get a top product containing 95wt% CS 2 and bottom
product containing 6 wt% CS2 at 1 atm pressure. The feed is saturated vapor and fed
at the rate of 5000 kg/hr. A total condenser is used and reflux is returned to the top
plate as a saturated liquid. The equilibrium data is given below:

0.06

0.11

0.26

0.39

0.53

0.66

0.76

0.86

0.16

0.27

0.50

0.63

0.75

0.83

0.88

0.93

(i) Determine the flow rate of top and bottom product

(ii) Calculate the theoretical number of trays required if a reflux ratio of 2
times Rm is used.
(iii) Locate the feed tray
Given: Molecular wt of CCl4=154 and CS2=76
3. A rectification column is fed 100kgmol/h of a mixture of 50 mol% benzene and 50
mol% toluene at 101.32kpa abs pressure. The feed ia liquid at the boiling point. The
distillate is to contain 90mol% benzene and the bottoms 10mol% benzene. The reflux
ratio is 4.5:1

Benzene and toluene form an ideal system with a relative volatility of 2.5
(i) Calculate the kg mol/h distillate, kg mol/h bottoms
(ii)The number of theoretical trays using Mccabe thiele method
(iii)Minimum reflux ratio
(iv)Minimum number of theoretical plates at total reflux
4. An aqueous solution of ethanol(30 mass% ethanol ) is to be enriched in to a top
product having 88 mass% alcohol. The bottom product must not contain more than 4
mass% alcohol. The feed enters the column at 40C at a rate of 5000kg/hr. The reflux
is at its bubble point and the reflux ratio is 1.0. Determine
(a) The number of ideal trays required using the ponchon and savarit method
(b) The heat duty of the condenser and of the reboiler
The enthalpy concentration kJ/Kmol and the vapor liquid equilibrium data at the operating
pressure of 1 atm are given below
x,
y
HL
Hv

0.041

0.089

0.143

0.207

0.281

0.37

0.477

0.61

0.779

7540
4815

7
7125
48250

1
6880
48300

6
6915
48328

7097
4843

7397
4845

7750
4845

8105
4863

8471
4869

8945
4895

9523

0.37
0.603

0.61
0.703

0.706
0.756

0.86
0.864

x
0
0.016
0.0417 0.1436
y
0
0.1585 0.304
0.493
Given: Enthalpy of feed=4790kJ/kmol

0.95
0.9456

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