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Design Of Distillation Column

Distillation Column
A Distillation Column is used to separate a multicomponent liquid mixture into distillates and bottoms due to differences in their boiling points. They are of following two types based upon construction. Tray Column Packed Column
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Choice b/w Tray & Packed Column

Plate column are designed to handle wide range of liquid flow rates without flooding. For large column heights, weight of the packed column is more than plate column. Man holes will be provided for cleaning in tray Columns. In packed columns packing must be removed before cleaning. When large temperature changes are involved as in the distillation operations tray column are often preferred. Random-Packed Column generally not designed with the diameter larger than 1.5 m and diameters of commercial tray column is seldom less than 0.67m.4

Selection Of Tray Type

Sieve trays are selected due to following main reasons. High capacity. Less pressure drop. High Efficiency . Lowest Cost per unit area than all other types with the downcomer. Good flexibility in operation(Turndown ratio).

Designing Steps Of Distillation Column

Calculation of Minimum Reflux Ratio Rm. Calculation of optimum reflux ratio. Calculation of theoretical number of stages. Calculation of actual number of stages. Calculation of diameter of the column. Calculation of weeping point. Calculation of pressure drop. Calculation of the height of the column. Calculation of thickness of the shell & Head.
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FEED COMPOSITION Component TDA (LK) Feed in Kgs/hr 85.4 Feed in Fraction 0.035 Feed in kmoles 0.700

PPG (HK)
Water Carbon diaoxide Unconverted foam

2217.6
128.66

0.909
0.053

1.109
7.148

1.32
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0.001
0.002

0.030
0.001

total

2438.98

1.000

8.988

TOP PRODUCT Component Top prod. in Kgs/hr Top product in Fraction Top in kmoles

TDA (LK)
PPG (HK) water Carbon dioxide

81.13
1 128.66 1.32

0.382
0.005 0.607 0.006

0.665
0.001 7.148 0.030

total

212.11

7.843

BOTTOM PRODUCT

Component TDA (LK) PPG (HK)

Bottom prod. in Kgs/hr

4.27 2216.6 6

Bottom product Bottom in in Fraction kmoles 0.002 0.995 0.003 0.035 1.108 0.001

Unconverted foam total

2226.87

1.144

DATA
Col. P (atm) Col. T ( C ) q (subcooled liquid) Average viscosity of feed (cp)
V.P (atm) of TDA at 190oC volatility of TDA V.P (atm) of PPG at 190oC volatility of PPG Relative Volatility
Ref:- www.cheric.org

1 190 1.3 1.28

0.018 0.018 0.004083 0.004083 4.41
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viscosity calculations

TDA Temperature ( C ) viscosity (cp)

PPG Temperature ( C ) viscosity (cp)
Ref:- Estimation of Polymer Properties

190 0.295

190 1.395
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Nature Of Feed
q = 1 + Cpl(Tb Tf)

q=1.3 (for subcooled liquid)

Ref:- Estimation

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Determination Of Reflux Ratio

Nmin = Ln [(X1/X2)D (X2/X1)B] Ln (12)av By putting all values, we get
Nmin = 7

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Stage cut calculation

(1xf1/1-)+(1xf2/2-)=1-q As q=1.3 So,
(1xf1/1-)+(2xf2/2-)= -0.3 By hit & trial we satisfy this eq. & get the value of stage cut =3.0
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Optimum reflux calculation

(1xd1/1-)+(2xd2/2-)=1+Rmin
Hence, Rmin=1.2 R =1.2*1.5 =2

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Feed stage location

Now by Eduljee relation (eq-15.4) No. of Theoritical stages=19 Tray Efficiency=Eo=0.492[Favg(1 / 2)av ] Eo=57% No. of Actual Stages=33 By Kirkbride method, ND=23 NB=10 So, feed enters the column 10 stages above the bottom stage
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FLOW RATES

Top Flow Rates Ln=D*Rmin kmol/hr Vn=Ln+D kmol/hr Bottom Flow Rates Lm=Ln+F kmol/hr Vm=Lm-B kmol/hr Vm m3/sec Vm kg/sec L/D V/D liquid density (kg/m3) M (g/gmole) R (atm.cm3/gmole.k) vapour density (kg/m3)
Ref:- Estimation of Polymer Properties

9.371 17.214

18.359 17.214 1.817 7.23 2 3 717.27 151.25 82.06 3.9809

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Mechanical Design
Vnf = CSb(/20)0.2(L-V/V)0.5
=0.559 m/s

Vn = 0.80*Vnf =0.447 m/s

mv = (V/D)*(D)*(M)/V
Vn
An= mv/Vn = 3.72 m2
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Diameter calculations
Let 15% of the cross sectional area is occupied by the downcomer Then, Cross sectional Area=Ac= An/0.85 =4.38 m2 Dia of column=D= (4Ac/ )1/2 =2.36m
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Height of Column
Tray spacing=Hs=1.5 ft Additional height for phase disengagement=H =2 ft Height of Column=Hc= (Nact 1) Hs + H = 51 ft =15 meters

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PRESSURE DROP
Hd= 51 x (Uh)2 x v (Co)2 x L Uh=velocity through holes =Vnf/0.1 = 5.56 m/sec Co = 0.89 (from graph) So, we get Hd=30.70 mm-liquid Hr=Residual Head=12500/L=17.43 mm of liquid Length of weir=lw = 1.9 m Height of weir=hw = .03 m How Weir Crest= 750[mL/L*lw]2/3 = 23 mm-liq mL= liquid flow rate ht (total pressure drop) = Hd+(Hw+ How)+Hr ht = 98 mm-liq Pt= 9.81*10-3*(ht)*L =690Pa=0.15psi

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Ah total hole area i.e. 10% of Aa= 0.46 m2 Hole dia=3 mm (assumed) Area of one hole =7.06 (mm)2 No. of holes= Ah/Area of one hole(m2) =65100

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CHECK WEEPING
Lw liquid flow rate kg/sec=7.71 how weir crest (mm of liquid)=23.708 how+hw (at minimum)=53.71 K2=30 Uh=K2-0.90(25.4-dh)
v

Uhmin vapour velocity m/sec=4.23 Uh Velocity through holes (m/s)=5.56 As actual vap velocity is much higher than the Uh min so there will be no weeping
Ref:- chem engg design By:coulson Ed.3 vol:6 23

CHECK ENTRAINMENT
Un =max vol vap flow rate/net area=1.02m/sec FLV= mL/mv(v/ L)1/2 FLV=0.08 K1=0.085 Uf=K1[(L- v)/ v]1/2 Uf=1.14 m/sec Percent flooding 90 Fractional Entrainment = 0.03 well below 24 0. 1 So Satisfactory

Check Tray spacing

hap height of apron (mm) =20 Aap clearance area under downcomer=0.038m2 hdc head loss in downcomer mm-liq=13.11 hb=hw+how+ht+hdc (eq-11.91) hb Backup in Downcomer mm-liq=149 hb Backup in Downcomer =0.149 m 1/2(tray spacing+weir ht.)=0.2436 m As hb<1/2(tray spacing+weir ht.) so tray spacing is acceptable

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Check Residence Time

tr = (Ad)*(hb)*(L)/mL =9.10 sec As tr > 3 sec. so, result is satisfactory

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SPECIFICATION SHEET
Identification: Item No. required Tray type Distillation column 1 Sieve tray

Function: Separation of polyols from TDA for further recycling Operation: Continuous

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Design Data

No. of tray=33 Tray efficiency = 57% Pressure = 101.32 KPa Height of column = 15 m Diameter of column=2.36 m Hole size = 3 mm Pressure drop per tray=0.15psi Tray thickness = 5 mm

Active holes = 65100 Weir height = 30 mm Weir length = 1.9 m Reflux ratio = 2:1 Tray spacing =0.457m Active area = 3.07 m2 Fractional Flooding = 0.03 No Entrainment

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