27-03-2024

Distillation Column Design

Major steps of design…

1) For a mixture of more than two components select two key

components from feed mixture.

2) Decide operating pressure and find VLE data at that pressure.

Distillation Column Design

3) Specify the degree of separation required.

For binary mixture decide the top and bottom products composition.

For multicomponent system decide the distribution of key components

in distillate and residue and then go for non key components
distribution.

1
 27-03-2024

Distillation Column Design

4) Determine minimum reflux ratio Rm.

5) Determine the optimum reflux ratio R and find the theoretical no. of
plates for desired separation.

6) Select type of tower :- Tray or Packed and Type of tray for tray tower
or packing for packed tower also.

7) Find the diameter and pressure drop across the tower.

Distillation column design

8) Determine tray efficiency and find the actual no. of trays in case of
tray tower. In case of packed towers find the HETP and decide the
height of packing in the tower.

9) Select material of construction for all parts and design a suitable

insulation design.

10) Design condensor and reboiler.

2
 27-03-2024

Distillation column design

11) Decide control methodology, line sizes and location of nozzles.

12) Mechanical design including design of skirt support.

All calculations (steps 1-5) are different for binary and multicomponent
distillation column design.

Methods for Column Design

• Two types of methods:

• Short cut methods: FUG Method, FUE Method, Smith Brinkley

method

• Rigorous methods: Lewis Mathrson method, Thiele- Gedded method,

Relaxation methods, Tridiagonal matrix method, Linear Algebra
methods