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Modified Ponchon-Savarit and Mccabe-Thiele Methods For Distillation Two-Phase Feeds
Modified Ponchon-Savarit and Mccabe-Thiele Methods For Distillation Two-Phase Feeds
Modified versions of the Ponchon-Savarit and McCabe-Thiele methods are presented which incorporate a correct
analysis of the feed region in the case of partly vaporized feeds. The methods proposed are fully graphical, require
no additional information or calculations, and do not complicate significantly the traditional procedures. I t is shown
that for optimal effect, the liquid and vapor parts are introduced to separate but contiguous stages. Numerical
examples confirm that a small improvement in column performance is achieved, but the influence on the number
of stages or reflux ratio required for a given separation is negligible, except in very special cases.
Plate Feel?
~ O V P
F, zF, 1-0
(X.Y)
b, ..., n) ( l l b )
Thus, the stripping line is a straight line that passes
through point (xw, xw), and whose slope can be calculated
from known problem data. More usually, though, the
liquid fraction of the feed, q = LF/F, is defined as a
measure of its thermal condition, and the feed q line is
introduced from eq 6
i.e., the rectifying line is a straight line of slope R / ( R + While this straight line can be constructed readily from
1) that passes through point (xD, x D ) . problem data, it is easier and more instructive to consider
4 Ind. Eng. Chem. Process Des. Dev., Vol. 23,No. 1, 1984
I
I
I I _ ~ _ __ I._._ I----/
I I I x I (x)
5 . n 'a-1
__ - 2 --I
xS-l
2 (x \r
X F F
Figure 6. Detail of the feed region in the McCabe-Thiele diagram.
Figure 5. Basic McCabe-Thiele diagram for two-phase feed.
to obtain (x,,Y,+~).This implies that the vapor stream VF
its intersections with the two traditional operating lines. has been introduced at its optimal location, a = j . The
Solving eq 10b and 13 together for the x coordinate gives graphical situation is depicted in more detail in Figure 6.
the implicit result It follows from the above that the next equilibrium
point, (E,+~,Y,+~), necessarily falls to the left of U, <
x F Here, the stripping line should be used, and this means
that the liquid stream LF is optimally located at b = a +
i.e., the rectifying and changeover lines intersect at a point 1. In this way, we confirm the results obtained from the
which also lies on the horizontal line y = yF. By analogy preceding Ponchon-Savarit analysis regarding introduction
to eq 12, the latter line is simply the q line for the saturated of the feed streams.
vapor feed VF (q = 0, z = YF). It should be noted that here, too, the intermediate points
Next, solving eq l l b and 13 together gives the simple (xa, and (&, gb)are not essential for the construction.
result If wanted, (xa, ya+l)can be located at the point where a
vertical line x = x, intersects the rectifying line. Similarly,
= XF (15) (Xbl, Y b ) is the intersection of a horizontal line y = Y b with
the stripping line. As shown in Figure 6, these two points
i.e., the stripping and changeover lines intersect at a point do not coincide, a fact that was first noted by Cavers
which also lies on the vertical line x = xF. By eq 1 2 this (1965).
line can be interpreted as the q line of the saturated liquid The remainder of the construction follows the traditional
feed LF (q = 1, z = XF). method. The stripping line is repeatedly employed until
The basic appearance of the modified McCabe-Thiele x, 2 x, for the first time.
diagram is illustrated in Figure 5. The rectifying and
stripping lines are drawn as previously described. The Comments and Discussion
vapor feed q line is drawn horizontally at y = yF, crossing The methods described in the present work are easily
the rectifying line at point T. The liquid feed q line is shown to reduce to the traditional constructions when
drawn vertically at x = xF, crossing the stripping line at either the vapor or the liquid portion of the feed is neg-
point U. Line TU is then the changeover operating line. ligibly small. Thus, for instance, if the feed is a saturated
With the main lines thus in place, stages may be counted liquid at its bubble point (VF = 0, F = LF, q = l),points
by the usual staircase construction, starting at the top from F and LF in the Ponchon-Savarit diagram of Figure 2 will
an initial point (xD, XD): (i) Through a point (x,-~,y,) on merge, and AD, A, become a single difference point, as
the current operating line, a horizontal line is drawn to expected from eq 9b. Transition from A D to A, is irrele-
obtain (x,,y,) at the intersection with the equilibrium vant, and change from A,, (A,) to Aw is effected when a
curve. (ii) Through point (x,, y,) a vertical line is drawn tieline f i s t crosses the AD F(LF)A, line. Similarly, in the
to obtain (x,, Y / + ~at) the intersection with one of the op- McCabe-Thiele diagram of Figure 5, points S and U be-
erating lines. come a single point, and the changeover line is identical
At each step (ii) of this sequence, optimal advantage is with the rectifying line, as expected from eq 19 and 13.
taken of the operating lines only by selecting the line that The stripping line is brought into operation when x, IxF,
yields the lowest composition Y , , ~for the same x,. Initially, and the feed stage straddles point S.
this corresponds to the rectifying line, which should con- The modified methods cease to be applicable when the
tinue to be used for as long as (x,,y / ) falls to the right of feed is a subcooled liquid or a superheated vapor, which
T in Figure 5, i.e., while xI 1 TF. flows entirely onto a single stage. The traditional proce-
Eventually, a point (x,,y,) will be generated to the left dures are correct here, even if the McCabe-Thiele con-
of T, but necessarily to the right of U (or at most, on it) struction must, for consistency, still be based on the con-
since by construction T and U span exactly one ideal stage. cept of a liquid-in-feed fraction q that takes physically
Thus yF > xJ 2 xF, and the changeover line should be used impossible values, either q > 1 or q < 0.
Ind. Eng. Chem. Process Des. Dev., Vol. 23, No. 1, 1984 5