CHAPTER 2

(DISTILLATION)

PART 2: BATCH DISTILLATION

SALAMIAH ZAKARIA
FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
UiTM PERLIS BRANCH

salamiah882@uitm.edu.my
1
 BATCH DISTILLATION
LESSON OUTCOMES

Upon completion of this lesson, students should be

able to:
1. Explain the basic concepts of batch distillation.

2. Derive a Raleigh equation using typical differential

distillation at certain infinitesimal time lapse (t).

3. Draw and use appropriate diagram for binary mixtures to

calculate the composition of the product and residue for a
differential distillation.

2
 WHAT IS BATCH DISTILLATION?
• Also known as differential distillation

• A tank is charged with feed and then heated.

• Vapor flows overhead, is condensed and collected in a receiver.

• The liquid remaining in the tank is generally called the residue.

• The composition of the material collected in the receiver varies

with time, so the composition of the product is an average of all
the material collected.

• Often, the receiver will be emptied or switched several times

during a distillation to collect separate cuts of product.
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 WHY CHOOSE BATCH DISTILLATION

• Feed quantity small: relatively small quantities of material are to

be handled at regularly scheduled periods. It is often more
economical for small volumes productions.

• Its flexibility: Little change is required when switching from one

mixture to another. It is flexible in accommodating changes in
product formulation, changes in production rate, changes in feed
composition, etc

• When the equipment needs regular cleaning because of fouling

or regular sterilization.

4
 Cont…

• Preferable for processing temperature-sensitive materials,

because distillation pressure can be lowered as the MVC
are removed, thus maintaining lower still pot temperature
within the constraint of the condenser temperature.

• Better product integrity to be achieved: each batch of

product can be clearly identified in terms of the feeds
involved and conditions of processing. This is particularly
important in industries such as pharmaceuticals and food
stuffs.

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DISADVANTAGES OF BATCH DISTILLATION

• In Batch distillation, the mixture is exposed to high

temperatures for a long time. This increases the risk
of thermal degradation or decomposition of the
substances.

• Furthermore, energy requirement is generally higher

in batch distillation than in continuous distillation

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 RALEIGH EQUATION
Consider the differential distillation at certain
Consider a typical differential infinitesimal time
distillation at an initial time, t1 as lapse (t) at t2 where t2 = t1 + t , after an
shown below: infinitesimal amount
of liquid has vaporized as shown below:

Steam
Steam
jacket
jacket
dx
Steam dL condenser
in Steam in y
L condenser
x
distillate
L - dL
x - dx
distillate

Where,
L = number of moles of liquid mixture in the
pot Mass balance of component A
x = mol fraction of a more-volatile component will yield:
(component A)
xL = (x-dx)(L-dL) + 7y(dL)
dx = infinitesimal change of mol fraction of A
dL = infinitesimal change of mol of liquid
 CONT…
xL = (x-dx)(L-dL) + y(dL) negligible
xL = xL – x.dL – L.dx + dx.dL + y.dL
L.dx = -x.dL + y.dL
L.dx = (y-x)dL
dL = dx
L (y – x)
Integrating both sides within limit initials (t1) to final (t2)
L1 x1
 (1/L) dL = (1/y-x) dx
L2 x2
Where,
x1
L1 = number of moles of liquid at t1
(1/y-x)dx
x2 L2 = number of moles of liquid
residue at t2
x1
ln L1/L2 = (1/y-x)dx
x1 = mol fraction of A in liquid at t1
x2 x2 = mol fraction of A in liquid at
8 t2
 RALEIGH EQUATION
ln L1/L2 =
x1
(1/y-x)dx
x2
• Is known as the Raleigh equation which is applicable for both
ideal solution ( constant) and non-ideal solution ( non-
constant).x1
(1/y-x)dx
• The termx must be evaluated graphically by determining area
2
under the graph of (1/y-x) versus x between the of limit x1 and x2.

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 EXAMPLE 1
A liquid mixture containing 50 mol % n-heptane (A) and 50 mol % n-octane
(B) was subjected to a differential distillation at atmospheric pressure with
60 mol % of the liquid being distilled. Compute the composition of the
distillate and the residue. The vapor-liquid equilibrium data for n-heptane-n-
octane mixture is given as follows:
Distillate
0.6x100= 60 mol (60mol% of
1 L1)
x y
(y-x) y=?
1.000 1.000
0.655 0.810 6.452 AssumeL1L1 =100
= ??
0.487 0.674 5.348 x1=0.5
0.312 0.492 5.556 L2 = 100-60 = 40 mol
Residue
0.157 0.279 8.197 liquid, L2

0.000 0.000 x2=?

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Using Raleigh equation,
graph (1/y-x) vs x for n-heptane-octane
x1 1 system
In (L1/L2) = (1/y-x)dx 9
(y-x)

x2
8
In (100/40) = 0.5
(1/y-x)dx 7
x2
6
0.5
0.916 =
(1/y-x)dx 5
x2
4

Plot graph (1/(y-x) vs x

3

 x2 can be determined (by 2

trial and error) by calculating an 1

area under graph between x1=
0.5 and x2 which the area must 0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
be equal to 0.916. x

Try x2= 0.33 x2=0.33 x1=0.5

Area under graph = (5.39-0) x (0.5-0.33) = 0.916
the are under curve is close to 0.916, thus X2 = 0.33
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From graph, X2 = 0.33
So the composition of liquid residue is 33mol% heptane and 67mol%
octane

To determine the composition of distillate, material balance can be

used:

Mass balance of A
x1L1 =x2L2 + yV
0.5(100) = 0.33(40) + y (60)
y = 0.613

Thus composition of distillate is, 61.3 mol% heptane and 38.7 mol%
octane.

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 EXAMPLE 2
100 moles of ethanol-water solution containing 18% by mole
ethanol is subjected to a batch distillation to reduce the ethanol
content to 6%. Determine the fraction of the liquid that has been
distilled, and the average composition of the distillate. Ethanol
forms a non-ideal solution with water. The equilibrium data for the
solution is given below:

x y 1/(y-x) V=?
Distillate

0.0190 0.1700
y=?
0.0721 0.3891
0.0966 0.4375
0.1238 0.4704 L1= 100 moles
0.1661 0.5089 X1=0.18
0.2337 0.5445
Residue
0.2608 0.5580 L2= ? liquid,
L2
x2=0.06
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 0.18 Can be evaluated by estimating an
In (100) = area under graph of (1/y-x) vs x
(1/y-x)dx
L2
0.06

= Area 1 + area 2
= ½ (0.075-0.06) (3.800-3.00) +
(0.180-0.006)(3.00)
= 0.366

In (100) = 0.366
L2
ln 100 –ln L2 = 0.366
4.605 – lnL2 = 0.366
lnL2 = 4.239
area under curve bounded by x1=0.18 L2 = e 4.239
to x2=0.06 L2= 69.33 14
 V = 100-L2 = 100-69.33 = 30.67

Thus, the fraction liquid solution being distilled

= vapor (V) / Liquid feed (L1)

= 30.67 mol /100 mol = 0.30607

the average composition of distillate can be determined using

material balance of ethanol balance:

X1L1 = X2L2+ yV

0.18(100) = 0.06 (69.33)+ y(30.67)

y = 0.45

Average composition of distillate: 45 mol% ethanol and 55 mol%

water. 15