Name : NUR SYAFIQAH MOHD SAIDI

Group : EH2206H
Student ID : 2016250288

Process:
The production of methanol is carried out in a moderate-pressure sensitive loop by direct hydrogenation
of carbon dioxide, which generates a liquid product that contains a binary mixture of methanol and
water in approximately equal proportion (by wt%). To provide commercial methanol that is nearly free
of water, dehydration is achieved commonly by distillation.

The simulation considered an equimolar mixture of 2700 kgmole/hr at 25oC amd 7.2 bar. It is them split
and fed to two distillation columns, one at 7.2 bar and the other one at reduced pressure 5.2 bar. Design
specifications for both distillation columns are shown in the following table:

DC1 DC2
Number of stages 12 15
Feed inlet stages 6 4
Reflux ratio 1.1 1.2
Distillate rate (kgmole/h) 1000 900
Questions:

1. What are the mass flow rates of the feeds before entering DC1 and DC2?

Mass Flow rate (kg/h)

DC 1 DC 2
31135.3602 31135.3602

2. What are the mass compositions of methanol and water at bottom and distillate for both
DC?

DC 1 DC 2
Distillate Bottom Distillate Bottom
Methanol 0.625162 0.009895 0.67536299 0.00153977
Water 0.374838 0.990105 0.32463700 0.99846022

3. Monitor the mass composition of methanol and water at bottom and distillate for both DC
if the reflux ratio is varied. Explain the variation.

DC 1

Before (Reflux Ratio : 1.1) After (Reflux Ratio : 4.1)

Distillate Bottom Distillate Bottom
Methanol 0.625162 0.009895 0.626274 3.5108761 x 10-3
Water 0.374838 0.990105 0.373726 0.996489

DC 2

Before (Reflux Ratio : 1.2) After (Reflux Ratio : 4.2)

Distillate Bottom Distillate Bottom
Methanol 0.675363 0.00153977 0.6758439 0.000367287
Water 0.324637 0.99846023 0.3241561 0.999632713

For both DC 1 and DC 2, composition of water and methanol at distillate showed constant
values with slight increment. At the bottom, methanol composition decreased while water
composition remained constant with slight increment
4. Monitor the mass composition of methanol and water at the bottom and distillate of the
distillation columns if the number of stages is varied. Explain the variation.

DC 1
Before (No Of Stages : 12) After (No Of Stages : 50 )
Distillate Bottom Distillate Bottom
Methanol 0.6251623 0.0098949 0.6270702 1.104338 x 10-6
Water 0.3748377 0.9901051 0.3729298 0.999999

DC 2
Before (No Of Stages : 15) After (No Of Stages : 60 )
Distillate Bottom Distillate Bottom
Methanol 0.675363 0.0015398 0.6758355 1.054484 x 10-9
Water 0.324637 0.9984602 0.3241645 0.9999999

For both DC 1 and DC 2, when the number of stages increased to 50 and 60 stages,
respectively, the composition of water and methanol at distillate showed constant values with
slight increment. At the bottom, methanol composition decreased while water composition
remained constant with slight increment
 5. Identify the best design specifications for both DC that can achieve 99% methanol.
Record the set values.
a. Use monitor specs, add column component fraction
b. Manipulate the number of stages and the reflux ration values of the columns.
c. For DC2, set at the monitor the component fractions of both Methanol (0.99 at
distillate) and water (0.99 at bottom). Set active for methanol, and estimate for
water

Distillation column 1

No. of stages = 35 stages

Reflux ratio = 3

Distillate rate = 430.00 kgmole/h

Distillation column 2

No. of stages = 30 stages

Reflux ratio = 2.6

Distillate rate = 440.00 kgmole/h