DISTILLATION PROBLEM SET

1. Using batch distillation to separate 10 kmol of a 50 mol% benzene-toluene mixture, a residue with 5 mol%
benzene content is obtained. Calculate the amount of material (in moles) that must be evaporated, the masses
of the distillate and residue, and the composition of the distillate
2. Calculate problem no. 1 if flash distillation is used.
3. An enriching tower is fed 100 kmol/hr of vapor feed at dew point temperature containing 35 mol % benzene (A)
and 65 mol % toluene (B) at 101.32 kPa abs. The distillate is to contain 80 mol % benzene. The reflux ratio is set
at 5:1. Calculate the kmol/hr distillate and bottoms and their compositions. Also, calculate the number of
theoretical plates required.
4. A continuous fractionating distillation column is used to separate 3.75 kg/s of 50 mass % benzene (A) and 50
mass % toluene (B) into an overhead product containing 95 mass % benzene and a bottom product containing
96 mass % toluene. For a feed 1/3 vapor and 2/3 liquid, determine the following:
a) the amount of top and bottom product (kg/hr)
b) the minimum number of theoretical stages
c) the minimum reflux ratio
d) the number of stages if the operating reflux ratio is twice the minimum
e) For a Murphree efficiency of 60 %, determine the actual number of plates and;
f) calculate the overall plate efficiency
Equilibrium data:
X 1 0.78 0.58 0.411 0.258 0.13 0
Y 1 0.90 0.777 0.632 0.456 0.261 0

5. 8500 kg/hr of a 50 mol% benzene-toluene must be separated on a continuous distillation column into a bottoms
product with 0.05 mole fraction benzene and a distillate with 0.95 mole fraction. The reflux ratio is 3. The
enthalpy of vaporization for the mixture if 30336 kJ/kmol, its specific heat capacity is 1.844 kJ/kg.K.
a) What are the mass flows of the distillate and the bottoms product?
b) How many theoretical stages are present at total reflux?
c) How many theoretical plates are necessary, and where should the feed be introduced, assuming the feed is
i. vapor at dew point
ii. liquid at boiling point
d) For conditions (i) and (ii) , what is the minimum reflux ratio?
e) How many real plates are required for conditions (i) and (ii) if the Murphree efficiency is 50%?
f) What are the hourly requirements of heating steam and cooling water, assuming a heating steam pressure
of 2.25 bars, cooling water entering at 20°C and leaving at 50°C for conditions (i) and (ii)?