Material and

Energy Balance
JOB 20403
LECTURER: DR. MUHAMMAD REMANUL ISLAM
CH 4 Multiunit Process Calculations

Multiunit Process
Degrees of Freedom Analysis
Recycle, Bypass, Purge and Makeup
Multiunit Process
 Degrees of Freedom Analysis
Example 4.1 Degrees of Freedom Analysis for a Multiunit Process Problem Perform a degrees of
freedom analysis for the process whose flowchart is shown in Example Figure 4.1.1.
Recycle, Bypass, Purge, and
Makeup
Example 4.3 Separation Column

Problem

Fresh feed containing 55 wt% A and 45 wt% B flowing at 100 kg/h enters a separator that
removes a portion of pure component A only as a bottom product. The top product stream
of the separator contains 10 wt% of component A and the balance is B. A small part of the
separator product stream is recycled and joined in the fresh feed stream. The other portion is
purged. The separator is designed to remove exactly two-thirds of component A fed to it
(not the fresh feed). The recycle loop is used to achieve this goal. Compute all unknown
stream flow rates and compositions.
Example 4.4 Absorber Column

Problem

The raw feed to a sulfur removal process contains 15 wt% CO2, 5% H2S, and 1.5% CO, and the
balance is CH4. The original absorber design placed a maximum flow rate limit of 80 kg/h. The
product stream of the whole process contains 1% H2S, 0.3% CO, and the balance is carbon
dioxide and methane. Any feed flow rate in excess of 80 kg/h is bypassed. The absorber
absorbs hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide only. If the fresh feed to the unit is 100 kg/h,
perform a degrees of freedom analysis and find the flow rates of the product streams.
Example 4.5 Separation of Hexane and Pentane Mixture

Problem

Hexane (H) and pentane (P) are separated in a distillation column with a reflux ratio of 0.60
(reflux ratio = Reflux/Distillate = R/D). If the feed contains 50 wt% hexane, the distillate is 5wt%
hexane, and the bottom stream is 96wt% hexane, determine the distillate, bottom, recycle,
and overhead flow rates on the basis that the mass flow rate of the feed stream is 100 kg/h.
Rework the problem given 100 kmol/h of feed rate.
Example 4.6 Evaporator–Crystallizer Unit

Problem

Fresh feed stream flowing at 100 kg/h contains 20% by weight KNO3 (K) in H2O (W). The fresh
feed stream is combined with a recycle stream and is fed to an evaporator. The concentrated
liquid solution exited the evaporator contains 50% KNO3 is fed to a crystallizer. The crystals
obtained from the crystallizer are 96% KNO3 and 4% water. The liquid from the crystallizer
constitutes the recycle stream and contains 0.6 kg KNO3 per 1.0 kg of H2O. Calculate all
stream flow rate values and compositions.
Example 4.7 Absorber–Stripper Process Unit Problem The absorber–stripper system shown in
Example Figure 4.7.1 is used to remove carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from a feed
consisting of 30% CO2 and 10% H2S in nitrogen. In the absorber, a solvent selectively absorbs
hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide. The absorber overhead contains only 1% CO2 and no
H2S. N2 is insoluble in the solvent. The rich solvent stream leaving the absorber is flashed, and
the overhead stream consists of 20% solvent, and contains 25% of the CO2 and 15% of the
H2S from the raw feed to the absorber. The liquid stream leaving the flash unit is split into
equal portions, one being returned to the absorber. The other portion, which contains 5%
CO2, is fed to the stripper. The liquid stream leaving the stripper consists of pure solvent and
is returned to the absorber along with makeup solvent. The stripper overhead contains 30%
solvent. Calculate all flow rates and compositions of unknown streams. The gas feed rate is
100 mol/h.
Example 4.8 Toluene–Xylene–Benzene Mixture

Problems

A fresh feed stream contains liquid mixture containing 35.0 mol% toluene (T), 27.0 mol% xylene
(X), and the remainder benzene (B) is fed to a distillation column. The fresh feed molar flow rate
is 100 kmol/h. The bottom product contains 97.0 mol% X and no B, and 93.0% of the xylene in
the feed is recovered in this stream. The overhead product is fed to a second column. The
overhead product from the second column contains 5.0 mol% T and no X, and 96.0% of the
benzene fed to the system is recovered in this stream. Draw and completely label a flow sheet
of the process. Calculate (i) the composition of the bottoms stream from the second column,
and (ii) the percentage of toluene contained in the process feed that emerges in the bottom
product from the second column.
Example 4.9 Benzene–Toluene Separation Process

Problem

A feed to a distillation column consisting of 50 wt% benzene and 50 wt% toluene is separated
into two product streams by fractional distillation. The fresh feed stream flow rate is 100
mol/min. The vapor leaving the top of the column, which contains 97 wt% benzene, is
completely condensed and split into two equal fractions: one is removed as the overhead
product stream, and the other (the reflux) is recycled to the top of the column. The overhead
product stream contains 89% of the benzene fed to the column. The liquid leaving the bottom
of the column is fed to a partial reboiler in which 45% of the liquid is vaporized. The vapor
generated in the reboiler (the boil up) is recycled to the column to become the rising vapor
stream in the column, and the residual reboiler liquid is removed as the bottom product
stream. The relation that governs the compositions of the streams leaving the reboiler is
yB = 2.25xB.

where yB and xB are the mole fractions of benzene in the vapor and liquid streams,
respectively. Draw and completely label a flowchart of the separation process. Calculate the
molar amounts of the overhead and bottom products, and the mole fraction of benzene in
the bottom product.
Example 4.10 Absorber and Separation System

Problem

Contaminated air containing 3% acetone and 2% water is fed to an absorber column as

shown in Example Figure 4.10.1. The mass flow rate of air is 100 kg/h. Pure water is used as an
absorbent to absorb acetone from air. The air leaving the absorber should be free of acetone
and contains 0.5% water. The bottom liquid of the absorber is fed to a distillation column to
separate acetone from water. The bottom stream of the distillation column was found to
contain 4% acetone and the balance is water. The vapor from the overhead of the distillation
column was totally condensed and split into two portions, one portion is recycled to the
column and the second fraction forms the distillate product stream. The concentration of the
condensate is found to be 99% acetone. All percentages are in weight percent. Calculate
the flow rate of all unknown streams.