HOW CAN THE PURITY AND RECOVERY OF ACETONE BE RAISED?

In the commercial manufacture of acetic anhydride from acetone and acetic acid, streams containing acetone (1)
(normal boiling point = 56 oC) and acetic anhydride (2) occur (normal boiling point = 139.5 oC). One such stream
contains 30 kmol/h of acetone and 70 kmol/h of acetic anhydride. As the boiling points differ widely, flash
separation of this mixture at 105 oC and 1 atm is recommended. 𝐾1 = 4.078 and 𝐾2 = 0.317
Vapour, V, yi Apply Rachford-Rice equation and solve this
problem
Feed, F, zi 𝑛
𝐾𝑖 − 1 𝑧𝑖
෍ =0
1 + ∅ 𝐾𝑖 − 1
𝑖=1
Liquid, L, xi
4.078 − 1 × 0.3 0.317 − 1 × 0.7 ∅ = 0.212 solves this equation 21.2% of feed is vapourized
+ =0
1 + ∅ 4.078 − 1 1 + ∅ 0.317 − 1
𝑧1 0.3
Find liquid and vapour compositions 𝑥1 = = = 0.182 𝑥2 = 1 − 𝑥1 = 0.818
1+∅ 𝐾1 −1 1+0.212×3.078

𝑦1 = 𝐾1 𝑥1 = 4.078 × 0.182 = 0.741 𝑦2 = 1 − 𝑦1 = 0.259

𝑉𝑦1
What is the recovery of acetone in vapour phase and what is its purity in that phase? Recovery = = 52%
𝐹𝑧
SERIES OF FLASH SEPARATORS

• Vapour and liquid purities increase with

addition of a separator
• Recovery of acetone drops with
addition of separator
• Intermediate vapour and liquid streams
are produced
• Multiple heat exchangers are needed
10 oC
 VT,N,
yT,N

SERIES OF FLASH SEPARATORS WITH RECYCLE

LT,N,
• Intermediate vapour and liquid streams VT,2, xT,N
yT,2 LT,4,
are RECYCLED to immediately upstream separator xT,4

• Multiple heat exchangers are avoided

VT,1,
• Recycled streams exchange heat yT,1 LT,3,
xT,3

LT,2,
F=100 xT,2
kmol/h
z=0.3 VB,2,
yB,2
VB,3,
yB,3
LB,1,
xB,1

VB,4,
LB,2, yB,4
VB,NB,
xB,2
yB,NB

LB,3,
xB,3

LB,NB,
xB,NB
 VT,N,
yT,N HOW ABOUT CARRYING OUT ALL FLASHES IN
ONE SINGLE COLUMN? NIFTY IDEA!

LT,N,
VT,2, xT,N
yT,2 LT,4,
xT,4

VT,1,
yT,1 LT,3,
xT,3

LT,2,
F=100 xT,2
kmol/h
z=0.3 VB,2,
yB,2
VB,3,
yB,3
LB,1,
xB,1

VB,4,
LB,2, yB,4
VB,NB,
xB,2
yB,NB

LB,3,
xB,3

LB,NB,
xB,NB