LAB 2: SPLIT RATIO AND DISTILLATION COLUMN

Objective:
1. Understand the usage of valve and distillation specification
Process:
The production of methanol is carried out in a moderate-pressure synthesis loop by direct
hydrogenation of carbon dioxide, which generates a liquid product that contains a binary
mixture of methanol and water in approximately equal proportions. To provide commercial
methanol that is nearly free of water, dehydration is achieved commonly by distillation. The
simulation considered an equimolar mixture of 2700 kmol/hr at 25 oC and 5.2 bar. It is then
split and fed to two distillation columns, one at reduced pressure, with the design
specification shown in the following table:
Condition
Pressure (bar)
Number of trays
Feed Tray*
Reflux ratio
Distillate to feed ratio
*Count from the top of DC

DC1
5.2
16
12
1.26
0.96

DC2
1.01
13
9
0.834
0.96

Hint:
1. Use Advanced Peng-Robinson property package
2. Split ratio is 0.5
3. Used total condenser for both DC
Discussion/Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.

What is the molar flow before entering DC1 and DC2?

How to reduce pressure in DC2?
What is the temperature at the bottom of DC1 and DC2?
Did the process achieve a methanol that free from water? What is the purity of the
methanol? How to increase the purity?