Flash or Equilibrium Distillation

In this process, a pressurised feed stream, which is in liquid phase, is passed through a heater
in order to pre-heat the feed then passed through the throttling valve/nozzle, connected to
a tank or drum, which is called a “flash” tank or drum After being passed through the
valye/nozzle, the feed enters the tank/drum, whose pressure is low; thus, there is a substantial
pessure drop in the feed stream, causing the feed to partially vaporize.
Although the illustration of the flash tank is in vertical direction , flash tanks/drums in
horizontal direction are also common.

Features

a. Continuous , steady state process. Operating conditions (T & P) are constant.

b. Compositions and flow rates of feed , products of overhead and bottom are constant.

Uses

1. Refrigeration
2. Desalination
3. Production of biofuels

1
Operating Line Equation of Flash Distillation

Overall Material Balance:

F=V+L

Material balance on A:

F. xf = V. y + L. x

F.
f
x = V. y + L. x

F L operating line
y= xf − x
V V

The last equation is linear:

Slop = - L/V
Intercept=F.xf/V

2
 1
0.9 y
0.8
m=- L/V
0.7
0.6
Y 0.5 x
0.4 (xf,xf)

0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
X

Example 3.3: A liquid mixture containing 50 mole% n-heptane (A) 50 mole% n-octane (B), at
30°C, is to be continuously flash–vaporized at std atm pressure to vaporize 60 mol% of the feed.
What will be the composition of the vapor and liquid in the separator?
x 1 0.65 0.48 0.31 0.15 0

y 1 0.81 0.67 0.49 0.27 0

Solution
Basis: F = 100 mol / h
F=V+L
V = 60 mol / h and L = 40 mol /h

1- Draw the equilibrium curve from equilibrium data (x and y)

2- Determine the point )xf , xf ( on line 45.
3- Determine the slop:
L −40 −0.2 ∆𝑦
(− V ) = 60
= 0.3
= ∆𝑥 = −0.667

4- Draw the operting line.

5- Determine the value of x and y from the cross point of the operationg line and
equilibrium curve.

x= 0.387, y=0.575

3
Example3.4: A mixture of 40 mol% benzene and 60 mol% toluene is being Flash–distilled at a
rate of 10 kmol/h at 1 atm total pressure. The liquid product should not contain more than 30 mol%
benzene. Calculate the amounts and the composition of the top and bottom product. The relative
volatility of benzene in the mixture is 2.5. Solve analytically as well as graphically.

Solution

Overall Material Balance

F=L+V

10 = L + V …………. (1)

Benzene Material Balance

(10) (0.4) = L (0.3) + y V

4 = 0.3 L + y V ……(2)

αx
y=
1 + (α − 1)x

y = (2.5(0.3))/(1+(2.5-1) 0.3 )=0.517

Sub in (2)

4 = 0.3L + 0.517 V …..(3)

Sub in (1) in (3) yield

L = 5.39 mol/h

V = 4.61 mol/h