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DISTILLATION
CHE-402
Date: 25/09/2018
Lecture No. 4
Some Additional Terminology
2
Key Components
3
Non-Key Components
All other components not specified in the distillate or botoms are
termed non-key components (NK’s).
4
Non-Key Component Splits
5
Non-distribution of NK’s
6
Distribution of NK’s
7
How do we determine the keys and the non–
keys in MCD?
Relative volatility is defined as the ratio of the K values for two components,
which is trivial for a binary system.
We can then define relative volatilities using equilibrium coefficient K values for
each component, e.g., from the DePriester charts for hydrocarbon systems.
The choice of the reference component depends upon the problem, but in
general it will be the HK component since it is less volatile than the LK
component.
8
Key and Non-Key Example
Consider a distillation column with the following feed
components:
propane
n–butane
n–pentane
n–hexane
What are the key and non–key designations for this separation?
9
Key and Non-Key Example
We have:
Volatilities
propane > n–butane > n–pentane > n–hexane
Volatilities
propane > n-butane > n-pentane > n-hexane
Component Designation
Propane Light Non-Key
n-butane Light Key
n-pentane Non-Key
n-hexane Heavy Key
11
Key and Non-Key Example
If only the recovery of n–butane is specified:
Volatilities
propane > n–butane > n–pentane > n–hexane
Component Designation
Propane Light Non–Key
n–butane Key
n–pentane Non–Key
n–hexane Non–Key
12
Missing Keys
In typical MCD problems, LK and the HK recoveries are specified.
The fractional recovery of the missing key needs to be determined, but it must
be estimated since not enough information is typically given in the problem to
determine it directly.
One way to estimate the fractional recovery of the missing key component is to
do an external mass balance based upon a binary system comprised of the LK
and HK.
13
Fractional Recoveries
A fractional recovery, fi , is the amount or flow rate of component i in the
distillate or bottoms stream with respect to the amount or flow rate of
component i in the feed stream:
Dx i dist Dx D, i
fi dist 1 fi bot
f i dist
Fz F, i Fz F, i
Wx i bot Wx w, i
f i bot fi bot 1 fi dist
Fz F, i Fz F, i
14
Approximate Shortcut Methods
for Multicomponent Distillation
Fenske equation
calculation of multicomponent separation at
total reflux
Underwood equations
calculate minimum reflux ratio
15
Approximate Shortcut Methods
for Multicomponent Distillation
x A xA
log
x B dist x B bot (Eq. 15.3)
N min =
log ( AB) avg
17
Fenske Equation - Total
Reflux
Dx A Wx A
log
Dx B dist Wx B bot
N min =
log ( AB) avg
18
Fenske Equation - Total
Reflux
(Eq. 15.4)
19
Fenske Equation - Total
Reflux
Feasible alternatives:
(Dx
i
i , dist )=D
(Wx
i
i , bot )=W
22
Fenske Equation - Total
Reflux
If original assumption is invalid
calculated values for non-key
compositions can be used to calculate
LK and HK compositions in distillate
and bottoms
23
Fenske Equation - Total
Reflux
2. If non-keys do distribute:
24
Minimum Reflux
25
For Binary System
Figure a : For ideal mixture distillation at minimum reflux, most of the stages are crowded
into a constant-composition zone that bridges the feed stage. In this zone, all vapor and
liquid streams have compositions essentially identical to those of the flashed feed. This
zone constitutes a single pinch point.
Figure b: If non ideal phase conditions create a point of tangency between the equilibrium
curve and the operating line in the rectifying section, the pinch point occurs within the
rectifying section. Alternatively, the single pinch may occur in the stripping section.
26
For Multicomponent System
Class 1 Class 2
For Class 1 separations, all feed components distribute to both the distillate and bottoms
product and a single pinch point bridges the feed stage (Figure c).
For Class 2 separations, one or more components appear in only one of the products.
If neither distillate nor bottoms contain all feed components, two pinch points occur away
from the feed stage (figure d). Stages between the feed stage and the rectifying section
pinch point remove heavy components that do not appear in the distillate. Light
components that do not appear in the bottom product are removed by the stages between
feed stage and the stripping-section pinch point.
If all the feed components appear in the bottoms, the stripping-section pinch point moves
to the feed stage (figure e). Alternatively if all feed components appear in the distillate, the
rectifying-section pinch point moves to the feed stage. 27
Minimum Reflux
However, in multi-component system, there may be either one pinch point or
two pinch points. The multi-component systems are defined as of Class 1 and
Class 2 depending on pinch points.
Only one pinch point can occur at feed point when all components are
distributed both in distillate as well as in bottom product. This is usually for a
mixture of components with narrow boiling point range.
For a mixture with wide boiling point range there may occur two pinch points.
Two pinch points occur away from feed points, when neither the distillate nor
the bottom product contain all the components.
The pinch point in stripping section moves to feed plate if all components
appear in bottom products.
The pinch point in rectifying section moves to feed plate if all components
appear in distillate.
28
Underwood Equation -
Minimum Reflux
Binary systems
pinch point usually occurs at the feed
plate
Multicomponent systems
separate pinch points in both
stripping and enriching sections if
there are nondistributing components
29
Underwood Equation -
Minimum Reflux
Underwood developed a procedure to find the
minimum reflux ratio for multi-component
systems
30
Underwood Equation -
Minimum Reflux
At minimum reflux Eq. 15.15:
c
i Dx i,dist i Bx i,bot
Vmin - Vmin = +
i=1 i - i -
L min
=
Vmin K HK
31
Underwood Equation -
Minimum Reflux
To simplify:
Fzi = Dxi , dist + Bxi , bot
i Fzi
Vfeed = Vmin - Vmin =
i i -
33
Underwood Equation -
Minimum Reflux
i Dx i , disti
Vmin =
i i -
Lmin = Vmin - D
34
Underwood Equations – Cases
There are 3 cases that we need to consider when using the
Underwood equations:
3.) Determine all αi-ref‘s where the reference component is the HK.
ΔV f F1 q
αi z i
ΔV f / F 1 q Eq.(15.16)
i 1 α i
Note that LK-ref HK-ref and choose the guess value between αLK and αHK.
If one chose the HK as the reference for the relative volatilities, αHK-ref = 1.
36
Underwood Equations –
Case 1 Approach (continued)
6.) Determine the NK rates, Dx HNK i dist and Dx LNK i dist , from the assumption that
the NK’s
do not distribute:
α i Dx i , D
Vmin Eq. (15-13)
i αi
37
Underwood Equations –
Case 1 Approach (continued)
9.) Determine D using Eq.:
D Dx i, D
i
38
Underwood Equations –
Case 2 Approach
Case B: Assume that the distribution of non-keys determined from the Fenske equation at total
reflux are also valid at minimum reflux.
3.) Determine all αi-ref‘s where the reference component is the HK.
ΔVf F1 q
αi z i
1- q Eq. (15.16)
i αi
Note that LK-ref HK-ref and choose the guess value between αLK-ref and αHK-ref. If one chose
the HK as the reference for the relative volatilities, αHK-ref = 1.
39
Underwood Equations –
Case 2 Approach (continued)
6.) Determine the NK rates, Dx NK i dist , from the assumption that the distribution of NK’s non-
keys determined from the Fenske equation at total reflux are also valid at minimum reflux:
40
Underwood Equations –
Case B Approach (continued)
9.) Determine D using Eq.:
D Dx i, D
i
41
Underwood equations-
Case 3 Approach
Assume all the components distribute but no use of Fenske
equation is made.
Solve 1st Underwood equation for all values of lying
between the relative volatilities of all components
LNK , 1 > 1 > LNK , 2 > 2 > LK > 3 > HK > 4 > HNK , 1
α i Dx i , D
Vmin
i αi
42
Methods for using
Underwood equations -
Method 3
LK > > HK
= ( LK + HK )/2
44
Using Underwood
equations
For multi-component,
Nmin = f(xiD, xiB, ) – Fenske’s equation
46
Gilliland Correlation
Eq. (15.18)
Where
47
Gilliland Correlation
4. Calculate abscissa
L
D -
L
D min
=
R - R min
L
D + 1 R +1
51
Estimate of optimum feed plate
location
(Eq.15.20)
52
Problem 1
53
Under wood Equation
54
Solution
55
Problem 2
56
Solution
57