Distillation is the separation of a liquid feed mixture into components or fraction through selective evaporation and

condensation. In a continuous setup, it is an ongoing separation in which a mixture is continuously fed into the process
and separated fractions are removed continuously as output streams. The process produces two output fractions. One
output fraction contains at least the volatile distillate fraction which has boiled and been separately captured as a vapor
condensed to a liquid. The other is the bottoms fraction which contains at least the volatile residue that has not been
separately captured as a condensed vapor. Continuous operations require the column, the condenser and the reboiler
to work efficiently to ensure maximum recovery of the main product, which in this case is methanol.

The feed material which is to be separated into fractions is introduced at one or more points along the distillation column
shell. Because of the difference in density between vapor and liquid phases, liquid runs down the column, cascading
from tray to tray, while vapor flows up the column, contacting liquid at each tray. The liquid phase and the gas phase
that exits each tray are in equilibrium with each other. In each tray, the most volatile component transfers from the
liquid phase into the incoming gas phase. This results to increasing concentration of the more volatile component from
each stage going upward while decreasing it as each stage goes downward. Mass transfer occurs in each tray from
top to bottom. The purpose of having trays is for the gas and the liquid to have intimate contact with each other. The
main component that is to be separated during this distillation process is methanol. It is separated through distillation
because the feed contains liquid with different boiling points and methanol has the lowest boiling point which means it
requires the least amount of energy to be separated. The operating conditions of the Distillation tank includes pressure
working at 10.013 bar, temperature maintained at 171°𝐶 and has an efficiency of 75.84%.

The liquid composition reaching the bottom of the column is partially vaporized in a heated reboiler to provide boil-up,
which is sent back up to the column. The remainder of the liquid are withdrawn as bottoms. In the re-boiler, heat transfer
occurs. This where additional heat is supplied for the separation operation to take place. Without the heat supplied to
the reboiler, not enough energy input limits the separation process.

Vapor reaching the top of the column is cooled and condensed to liquid in the overhead condenser. Part of this liquid
is returned to the column as reflux to provide liquid overflow. The remainder is withdrawn as distillate. In partial
condenser, heat is removed from the liquid to expand the liquid and transform it to gas. This is where heat is usually
removed from the separation process. A balance between the heat input of the re-boiler and the heat output of the
condenser is needed to have enough supply of energy during the separation process.