Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering

Instructor: Hanieh Safari, Ph.D.

Lecture 5: Continuous Distillation (Fractional Distillation)

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 Fractional Distillation
• A process where components of a chemical mixture are separated into different parts
(fractions) by difference in boiling points by the use of an apparatus called “fractioning
column”

• Operates based on the countercurrent flows of liquid and vapor

• Has more than one distillation step and each distillation cycle is called a
theoretical plate

Youtube Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9Wfz8l2T4E

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 Differential Distillation Calculations
𝐺%
𝑦% F= D + W : Overall Mass Balance

𝐿$ D Component A Mass Balance :𝐹𝑍! = 𝑊𝑥" + 𝐷𝑍#

Reflux
𝐺% = D + 𝐿$ : Mass Balance Around Condenser
F
𝐿$
𝑅= : 𝑅𝑒𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑥 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜
𝐷

𝐺% = D + 𝑅𝐷 = 𝐷(𝑅 + 1)

𝐺% 𝑦% = 𝐷𝑍# + 𝐿$ 𝑥$ ∶ 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐵𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝐴𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑟

W Enthalpy Balance Around Condenser: 𝐺% 𝐻&% = 𝑄' + 𝐿$ 𝐻($ + 𝐷𝐻#

Overall Enthalpy Balance: 𝑄) = 𝐷𝐻# + 𝑊𝐻" + 𝑄' + 𝑄( − 𝐹𝐻!