MULTICOMPONENT

DISTILLATION
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION

STEVE ESHIEMOGIE
RAYMOND OKOH
MULTICOMPONENT DISTILLATION
INTRODUCTION

Distillation is inarguably the most widely used separation process in

chemical process industries. Distillation finds application in petroleum
refining industries, brewery industries, and numerous other chemical
industries. Distillation operations, often times, are carried out in very
large vessels, and chemical engineers are usually involved in the
construction of such vessels, hence it is imperative for young chemical
engineers to carefully understand the concept of distillation.

Unlike other separation processes, separation by distillation can only

be carried out when the components to be separated have
consequential differences in their volatilities. There are two types of
distillation, binary component distillation and multi-component
distillation. In binary component distillation, two components with
different volatilities are separated in the distillation column, while in
multicomponent distillation, the feed liquid is usually a mixture of more
than two components. Our focus in this material, would be on
multicomponent distillation.

DISTILLATION COLUMS

Distillation occurs in distillation columns, usually, these are vertical columns stacked with different stages of trays. For
every tray in the distillation column, components co-exist in both liquid and vapor phases. Generally, the liquid feed
to be separated is introduced in an intermediate tray called the feed tray, while heat is introduced at the bottom of
the column with the aid of a heater generally called a reboiler. When heat is introduced into the column, more volatile
components move up the stack of trays in vapor form, while less volatile components drop down through stages of
trays. More volatile components which move up the column exit the column via top trays. These components are
called are called top products or distillates, while heavy components leave through bottom trays and are called bottom
components.
IMPORTANT FORMULAS FOR DISTILLATION

Relative volatility
Formula Expression

𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐴 𝑃𝑜
αAB = 𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐵 = 𝑃𝐴𝑜
Relative volatility 𝐵 𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐴 𝑃𝐴𝑜
αAB = =
𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐵 𝑃𝐵𝑜

Raoult’s law 𝑃𝐴 =𝑃𝐴𝑜 𝑥𝐴

Raoult’s law
Dalton’s law 𝑃𝐴 = 𝑃𝑇 𝑦𝐴
𝑃𝐴 =𝑃𝐴𝑜 𝑥𝐴
Relative volatility 𝐾𝐴
𝛼𝐴𝐵 =
Dalton’s law 𝐾𝐵

K-value 𝑦𝐴
𝑃𝐴 = 𝑃𝑇 𝑦𝐴 𝐾𝐴 =
𝑥𝐴

Relative volatility

𝐾𝐴
𝛼𝐴𝐵 =
𝐾𝐵

CALCULATING MINIMUM NUMBER OF PLATES

K-value
Fenske’s
𝑦𝐴 equation
𝐾𝐴 =
𝑥𝐴
Fenske’s equation is a very useful equation in calculating the minimum number of stages needed for a particular
distillation operation.

𝑆𝐿𝐾 =∝𝑁𝑀
𝐿𝐾,𝐻𝐾 𝑆𝐻𝐾

Distribution Ratio

the split ratio of components. This equation basically shows the level of product distribution between top and bottom
trays. In subsequent calculations, we would use this equation to obtain additional equations that could be used in
solving distribution problems. Another importance of the Fenske’s equation is that it can be transformed and used to
find the minimum number of stages needed for a particular distillation operation.
𝑥𝐿𝐾𝐷
𝑆𝐿𝐾 =
𝑥𝐿𝐾𝑁
CALCULATING MINIMUM REFLUX RATIO

Colburn’s Method

1 𝑥𝐿𝐾𝐷 𝑥𝐻𝐾𝐷
𝑅𝑚 = [ − 𝛼𝐿𝐾,𝐻𝐾 ]
𝛼𝐿𝐾,𝐻𝐾 − 1 𝑥𝐿𝐾𝑁 𝑥𝐻𝐾𝑁

Where:
𝑟𝐹
𝑥𝐿𝐾𝑁 =
(1 + 𝑟𝐹 )(1 + ∑ ∝ 𝑥𝐻𝐻𝐾 )
𝑥𝐿𝐾𝐹
𝑟𝐹 =
𝑥𝐻𝐾𝐹
𝑥𝐿𝐾𝑁
𝑥𝐻𝐾𝑁 =
𝑟𝐹

Underwood’s Method

𝛼𝑖 𝑥𝑖𝐹
∑[ ] =1 − 𝑞
𝛼𝑖 − 𝜃
𝛼𝑖 𝑥𝑖𝐷
∑[ ] = 1 + 𝑅𝑚
𝛼𝑖 − 𝜃

Let us see how these formulas can be applied, by solving an example.

Example 1

Component Mol% feed 𝜶𝒊𝑯𝑲 K at DxDi WxWi xDi xWi xF

composition 230oC
C2 5 5.8 4.9 4.99945 0.00055 0.185 7.5x10-6 0.05
C3 20 1.9
C4 30 1.0 0.85 3.0 27.0 0.111 0.370 0.3
C5 20 0.35
C6 20 0.17
C7 5 0.08

The above mixture must be separated by distillation, so that 95% of C3 charged is recovered in the distillate and
90% of C4 charged is in the bottoms.

a) Estimate the distribution of the other components and hence, complete the above table, assuming that
the column is operated at total reflux and at 215 BTU and feed is 100kgmol.
b) How many minimum number of stages are required for this separation?
c) Determine the overall composition of the distillate and the bottoms.

Solution

For questions like this, the first thing you should do is to find the total amount of components in the
distillate and in the bottoms. Since all the data for component C2 and component C4 are given, we can
use either of them to find the Distillate and the Bottoms products.
Let us use the data for component C2 to do this calculation:

𝐷𝑥𝐶2𝐷
𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 (𝐷) =
𝑥𝐶2𝐷
4.99945
𝐷=
0.185
𝑫 = 𝟐𝟕. 𝟎𝟐Kgmol

Since we know the total amount of product in the distillate to be 21.02Kgmol, and the feed to be
100Kgmol, we can find the total amount of product in the bottoms using the general mass balance
relationship
Feed = Distillate + Bottoms
100 = 27.02 + W
Therefore, W = 72.98 Kg mol.
From the question, 95% of C3 charged, is in the distillate.
This means that 95% of C3 in the feed = C3 in the distillate
From the question, 95% of C3 charged, is in the distillate.
This means that 95% of C3 in the feed = C3 in the distillate
95
× 20 = 𝐷𝑥𝐶3𝐷
100
𝐷𝑥𝐶3𝐷 = 19
𝐷𝑥𝐶3𝐷 19
𝑥𝐶3𝐷 = =
𝐷 27.02
𝒙𝑪𝟑 𝑫 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟎𝟑

Component C3 balance
𝐹𝑥𝐶3 𝐹 = 𝐷𝑥𝐶3 𝐷 + 𝑊𝑥𝐶3 𝑊

𝑊𝑥𝐶3𝑊 = 𝐹𝑥𝐶3𝐹 − 𝐷𝑥𝐶3𝐷

𝑊𝑥𝐶3𝑊 = 100 × 0.2 − 19

𝑾𝒙𝑪𝟑 𝑾 = 𝟏

𝑊𝑥𝐶3𝑊 1
𝑥𝐶3𝑊 = =
𝑊 72.98
𝒙𝑪𝟑 𝑾 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟑𝟕

Also, 90% of C4 charged, is in the bottoms.

Therefore, in the same way as before,

90
× 30 = 𝑊𝑥𝐶4𝑊
100
𝑊𝑥𝐶4𝑊 = 27.0

To fill column 𝜶𝒊𝑯𝑲 , we use the formula

𝐾𝐴
𝛼𝐴𝐵 =
𝐾𝐵
Where B is the heavy key component
From Fenske’s equation,

𝑆𝐿𝐾 =∝𝑁𝑀
𝐿𝐾,𝐻𝐾 𝑆𝐻𝐾

Rearranging,
From Fenske’s equation,

𝑆𝐿𝐾 =∝𝑁𝑀
𝐿𝐾,𝐻𝐾 𝑆𝐻𝐾

Rearranging, we have:
𝑋 𝑋
ln[ 𝐿𝐾𝐷 × 𝐻𝐾𝑊 ]
𝑋𝐿𝐾𝑊 𝑋𝐿𝐾𝐷
𝑁𝑀 = 𝑙𝑛𝛼𝐿𝐾,𝐻𝐾

0.703 0.370
ln [0.0137 × 0.111]
𝑁𝑀 =
𝑙𝑛2.24
𝑁𝑀 = 6.38

COMPONENT C5 BALANCE
𝐹𝑥𝐶5 𝐹 = 𝐷𝑥𝐶5 𝐷 + 𝑊𝑥𝐶5 𝑊

20 = 27.02𝑥𝐶5 𝐷 + 72.98𝑥𝐶5 𝑊 …………. (1)

Since we have two unknowns in equation 1, we have to develop another equation so that we could solve
the two simultaneously and find the two unknowns.
Using the Fenske’s equation and then the distribution ratio formula and, we have:

𝑆𝐶5 =∝𝑁𝑀
𝐶5 ,𝐻𝐾 𝑆𝐻𝐾

0.111
𝑆𝐶5 = [0.41]6.38 [ ] = 0.001
0.37
But distrubutrion ratio,
𝑥𝐶5 𝐷
𝑆𝐶5 =
𝑥𝐶5 𝑊
𝑥𝐶 𝐷
5
𝑆𝐶5 = 𝑥 = 0.001
𝐶5 𝑊

𝑥𝐶5 𝐷 − 0.001𝑥𝐶5 𝑊 = 0 ………. (2)

Solving equation one and two simultaneously, we have:

𝒙𝑪𝟓 𝑫 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟐𝟕

𝒙𝑪𝟓 𝑾 = 𝟎. 𝟐𝟕𝟒
Repeat the same process for the remaining components.
Completed table:
Component Mol% feed 𝜶𝒊𝑯𝑲 K at DxDi WxWi xDi xWi xF
composition 230oC
C2 5 5.8 4.9 4.99945 0.00055 0.185 7.5x10-6 0.05
C3 20 2.24 1.9 19 1 0.703 0.0137 0.2
C4 30 1.0 0.85 3.0 27.0 0.111 0.370 0.3
C5 20 0.41 0.35 0.00729 19.98 0.00027 0.274 0.2
C6 20 0.2 0.17 0.00008 19.98 3x10-6 0.274 0.2
C7 5 0.09 0.08 1x10-7 5 4.3x10-7 0.0685 0.05