CHAPTER 7

EQUIPMENT DESIGN
Distillation Column:
Distillation is a process of separating the component mixture from a liquid by selective
evaporation and cooling. Distillation employs the differences in the volatility of the
components which aids in their separation. Relative volatility is defined as the ratio of
the vapour pressure of the more volatile component to the vapour pressure of the less
volatile component. Distillation columns are widely used in industries. There are
different types of distillation namely, binary, multi component, azeotropic, etc
By using McCabe Thiele Method :
For 28m3/hr
Using Raoults and Daltons law,
Mole fraction of propylene in feed, xf= 0.676
Calculating Relative Volatility
Raoults law
A= PA
P

. XA

Where,
PA= Partial pressure
PA*= Partial pressure of pure component
XA= Mol fraction of propylene in liquid phase
Partial pressure of pure component ( PA* ) = 10.17 bar
PA = (10.17)* 0.676 = 6.87492 bar
Daltons Law

PA = Ptotal. YA
Where,
PA= Partial pressure
Ptotal is the total pressure in the distillation column = 17.6520 bar
YA = Mol fraction of propylene in vapor phase
6.87492

YA = 17.6520 = 0.3894
Component A (propylene)
Liquid Phase mol fraction = 0.676
Vapor Phase mol fraction = 0.389
Similarly,
Component B (propane)
Liquid Phase mol fraction = 0.32
Vapor Phase mol fraction = 0.157
Calculating K value
KA =

Mol fractionof component Avapor phase

Mol fraction of component Aliquid phase
0.389

KA = 0.676 =0.5754437
Similarly,
KB = 0.4845679
Calculating Relative Volatility

K value of A
K value of B

AB =

= 1.1875

Generating VLE date

Y= ( . X) / {[(-1)X]+1}
X
Y

0.1
0.116

0.2
0.228

0.3
0.337

0.4
0.441

0.5
0.542

0.6
0.640

0.7
0.7348

0.8
0.826

0.9
0.914

From the graph, no of stages = 32.2 (including reboiler)

Theoretical no of plates = 31.2
Feed is a saturated liquid, q = 1

Calculating plate efficiency using Connells Equation

E = 0.17 0.616logf
where f is the viscosity of feed
Viscosity of propylene = 0.0664 cp

1
1

Viscosity of propane = 0.078 cp

Propylene recovery = 98%
f = (0.98* 0.0664) + (0.02* 0.078)
= 0.06408 cp
E = 0.17 0.616 log 0.06405
= 0.9050 or 90.50%
Actual number of plates =

31.2
0.9050

= 35 plates
Assume plate spacing as 45cm
Height = (actual no of plates)* (plate spacing) + (2 * plate spacing)
= (35) * (0.45) + (2*0.45)
= 16.65 m

Determination of Diameter
Diameter at the Top
Temperature at top (T1) = 319.4 K
Moles of vapour at the top (N1) = 83.927 kmol/hr
Molecular weight (M1) = (0.98*42.08) + (0.02*44.12)
= 42.09
Density of top vapour (v ) =

M 1P
RT 1

Top pressure (P1) = 18kg/cm2 = 1765225 Pa = 1765.225 kPa

v =

42.091765.35
82.05319.4

= 2.83 kg/m3

Density of liquid ( L ) = 860 kg/m3

Vapour velocity ( U ) = k *

L v
v

( SoudersBrown equation )

Where,
L

= liquid density, kg/m

= vapor density, kg/m

= Constant value
= 0.05 *

8602.83
2.83

= 0.86 m/s
Volumetric flow rate ( V ) =

N 1RT 1
P1

= 83.927 *82.05 *319.4/ 1765.25

=1245.97 m3/hr
Volumetric flow rate
Cross sectional area = Vapour velocity

= 1245.97/(3600* 0.86)
= 0.397 m2
Diameter of column = (4* Area/)^0.5

= 0.711m

Diameter at the Bottom

Temperature at bottom (T2) = 343 K
Molecular weight (M2) = 42.12
Moles of vapour at bottom (N2) = 26.04 kmol/hr
Bottom Pressure (P2) = 1910. 72 kPa
Density of bottom vapour ( v ) = 42.13* 1910.72/(343*26.04)
= 3.1 kg/m3
Vapour velocity ( U ) = k *

L v
v

( SoudersBrown equation )

Where,
L

= liquid density, kg/m

= vapor density, kg/m

= Constant value
= 0.05 *

8603.1
3.1

= 0.83 m/s

Volumetric flow rate ( V ) =

N 2RT 2
P2

= 26.04 *82.05 *343/ 1910.72

= 383.611 m3/hr
Cross sectional area =

Volumetric flow rate

Vapour velocity

=383.611/(3600* 0.83)
= 0.1283 m2

Diameter of column = (4* Area/)^0.5

= 0.604m
For design purposes, we consider the larger diameter. Hence, the diameter of the column
is 0.711 m
Plate Design
Column Diameter ( DC ) = 0.711 m
Column Area ( AC ) = 0.397 m2
A weir length is normally between 60-80% of the column diameter. Length of the weir
decides the downcomer area.
Assuming a weir length of 0.77 times the column diameter which provides 12% of
downcomer area. [ Assumptions made based on Coulson&Richardson vol 6, Pg 572]
Downcomer Area ( Ad ):
Ad = 12% * Ac
= 0.12*0.397 m2
Ad= 0.04764 m2
Net Area of the Column (An):

An= Ac - Ad
An= 0.34936 m2
Weir Length (Lw):
Lw = 0.77*Dc
= 0.77*0.711
= 0.54747 m

Result summary for distillation column

20 m3/hr(currently used)
Design Parameters
Units
Height
10.3m
No of trays
21
Plate spacing
0.45m
Column Diameter
0.632m

28m3/hr
Design Parameters
Units
Height
16.65 m
No of trays
35
Plate spacing
0.45m
Column Diameter
0.711m

Top pressure
Bottom pressure
Feed rate
Distillate rate
Reflux ratio

Top pressure
Bottom pressure
Feed rate
Distillate rate
Reflux ratio

1765.26 kPa
1910.72 kPa
4261.002 kg/hr
2884.04 kg/hr
1.34

1765.26 kPa
1910.72 kPa
5886.581 kg/hr
3531.674 kg/hr
1.34