King Faisal University

College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
ChE 401- Separation Processes II

Team Project

Design of a distillation column

STUDENT(s) NAME:

Mohammed Karanat

Mohammed Alshawaf

Rakan Al-Harbi

Ahmed Althuwaiqeb

STUDENT(s) ID:

218008137
218027326
218010796
217027317

Instructor:
Dr. Mohammed Al-Yaari

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Contents
Introduction:......................................................................................................................3
Block Flow Diagram:.........................................................................................................4
Description:........................................................................................................................5
Operating Condition:........................................................................................................6
Design:................................................................................................................................7
Conclusion:.......................................................................................................................15
References:.......................................................................................................................16

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Introduction:

Distillation is the separation of two or more components, with the more volatile
component going to the top section or rectifying section (distillate) and the less volatile
component going to the bottom section or stripping section, also known as waste or
bottom. The bottom product is nearly liquid, but the distillate can be liquid, vapor, or a
mixture of the two. There are three basic steps to completing the separation operation. To
begin, a second phase must be created, which will allow the top and vapor phases to
interact on each level of a separation column. Second, the components have different
volatilities, therefore the volatility must be different, causing the two phases to divide
differently.

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Block Flow Diagram:

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Description:

Toluene C7H8 , is a substituted aromatic hydrocarbon. It is a colorless, water-insoluble

liquid with the smell associated with paint thinners. It is a mono-
substituted benzene derivative, Figure (1) is a description of the block flow diagram
(BFD). This BFD contains reactor, flash drum and three distillation columns. One
distillation for BTX purification, and the remaining towers for separting BTX
components to get the desired product. In this project we will design the first distillation
column.

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 Operating Condition:

Input Output
stream
Stream (9) Stream (10) Stream (11)

Temperature (°C) 143.6 112.6 168.4

Pressure (kPa) 220 110 220

Total molar flow
2.736 2.268 0.436
rate (kmol/hr)

Molar Rate Molar Rate Molar Rate

Component
fraction kmol/hr fraction kmol/hr fraction kmol/hr

Toluene 0.82 2.268 0.99 2.232 0.001 0.0036

Xylene 0.18 0.468 0.01 0.036 0.99 0.432

Design:

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  Determination of a distillation column stages:

First, finding the reflux ratio:

α assumed = 2

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xf = 0.82
xd = 0.99
XD
Intercept =
Rmin+1
0.99
0.53=
Rmin+1
Rmin = 0.87
Ractual =Rmin × 1.5
Ractual = 0.87 × 1.5 = 1.305
L
R=
D
kmol
L = R × D = 1.305 × 2.268 = 2.96
h
kmol
V = L + D = 2.96 + 2.268 = 5.288
h
Rectifying section operating line equation:
R XD
Y= x+
R +1 R+1
1.305 0.99
Y= x+
1.305+ 1 1.305+1
Y = 0.566 x + 0.43
Assuming it saturated liquid
Number of stages = 19
Number of plates = 19 -1 = 18
Optimum feed location = 5

 Determination of the Column Diameter of the rectifying Section:

Finding the Flooding velocity:

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FLV =
Lw
Vw √ ρV
ρl
M×P
ρv =
R ×T
kg
Mavg,v = 92.14× (0.99) + 106.16× (0.01) = 92.28
kmol
P = 110 Kpa
Tin = 112℃ + 273.15 = 385.725 K
R = 8.314 J
92.28 ×110 kg
ρv = = 3.16
8.314 ×385.725 m3
ρ L = ρ t× Xt + ρ x ×xx

(Toluene)
ρ L = (778 × 0.99 )+ (779.288 × 0.01)
kg
ρ L = 778.01
m3
kg 1h kg
Lw = 2.96 × = 0.075
h 3600 s s
kg 1h kg
VW = 5.228 × = 0.134
h 3600 s s

FLV =
0.075
0.134
×
√
3.16
778.01
= 0.036

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Plate spacing is = 0.30 m
K = 0.064
Calculating the velocity Uactual:

UF = K ×
√ ρL− ρV
ρV

UF = 0.064 ×
√ 778.01−3.16
3.16
m
UF = 0.96
s
Uactual = 0.85 × UF
Uactual = 0.96 × 0.85
m
Uactual = 0.816
s
Calculating the actual area Aactual:
Vw
A=
ρv ×uact
0.134
A=
3.16× 0.816
A = 0.059 m2

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 A
Aactual =
0.88
0.059
Aactual =
0.88
Aactual = 0.2 m2
Finding the diameter D:
π
A= × D2
4
D = 0.3 m

 Determination of the Column Diameter of stripping Section:

Sense we assumed our system is a saturated liquid

Ḹ=L+F
kmol
Ḹ = 2.96 + 2.73 = 5.696
h
kmol
Ṽ = V = 5.228
h
Finding the flooding velocity:

FLV =
Lw
Vw √ ρV
ρl
M×P
ρv =
R ×T
kg
Mavg = 92.14× (0.99) + 106.16× (0.01) = 92.28
kmol
P = 220 Kpa
T = 143.6℃ + 273.15 = 416.75 K
R = 8.314 J
92.28 ×220 kg
ρv = = 5.53
8.314 × 416.75 m3
ρ L = ρ t× xx + ρ x ×xx

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 (Toluene)
ρ L = (721.626× 0.99 )+ (715 × 0.01)
kg
ρ L = 721.55
m3
kg 1h kg
Lw = 5.696 × = 0.146
h 3600 s s
kg 1h kg
VW = 5.228 × = 0.134
h 3600 s s

FLV =
Lw
Vw √ ρV
ρl

FLV =
0.146
0.134
×
√
5.53
721.55
= 0.095

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K = 0.058
Calculating the velocity Uactual:

UF = K ×
√ ρL− ρV
ρV

UF = 0.058 ×
√ 721.55−5.53
5.53
m
UF = 0.66
s
Uactual = 0.85 × UF
Uactual = 0.66 × 0.85
m
Uactual = 0.56
s
Calculating the actual area Aactual:
Vw
A=
ρv ×uact
0.134
A=
5.53× 0.56
A = 0.043 m2
A
Aactual =
0.88
0.043
Aactual =
0.88
Aactual = 0.048 m2
Finding the diameter D:
π
A= × D2
4
D = 0.25 m
So, our column diameter will be = 0.3 m
Calculating the height of the column:
High = Number of trays × tray spacing
Height = 18 × 0.30 = 5.7 m

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  Column efficiency

at T = 25 ℃
Viscosity of Toluene = 0.00057 Pa.s = 0.57 mpa.s,
Viscosity of Xylene= 0.00076PA.s = 0.76mpa.s.

E0 = 51 – 31.5× log((0.76 × 0.18 + 0.56 × 0.82) × 2)

E0 = 48 %
Calculating the actual height of the column Hact:
18
Nactual = = 38 plates
0.48
Hact = Nactual × Tray spacing
Hact = 38 × 0.3 = 11.4 m

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Conclusion:

In conclusion, this project was concerned about improving the ability of designing the
distillation column, and to apply professional chemical & process engineering skills. All
calculations in this project was calculated by hand. In terms of the calculation and
percentage error, we have some errors in our calculation and the source of error such as
estimation of column efficiency and also the assumption of feed entering was assumed to
be a saturated liquid. Finally, in this project, distillation column was designed and the
flow rate , height of column and diameter were calculated.

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References:

[1] Toluene - density and specific weight vs. teemperature and pressure. Engineering
ToolBox. (n.d.). Retrieved May 31, 2022,

[2] Saturated liquid density. Liquid Density Calculation by DIPPR105 Equation. (n.d.).
Retrieved May 31, 2022,

[3] Silvano, L. (2018, July 30). Chemical Engineering Design Principles Practice and
economics of-plant and Process Design. AIChE Journal. Retrieved May 31, 2022,

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