Distillation Column

By Jesse Reeves
Outline

 Where we are, where we want to be.

 How to get there.
 What we used and what we got.
 The trouble.
 The model.
What we have

 12 tray bubble-cap distillation column

 Isoproply alcohol water separation
What we want

 Same distillation column

 Ethanol water separation
How to get there

 Operate column at total reflux

 Determine stage efficiency
 Model the column in Aspen
 Compare Aspen model to real IPA separation
results
 Apply the Aspen model to an Ethanol
separation
Theory to get there

Equilibrium curve Stripping operating line

 1, 2 x1
y1  L B
1  x1 ( 1, 2  1) y m 1  x m  xb
V V
Rectifying operating line Murphree-vapor efficiency
y n 1 
Ln
xn 
D
xD
y i , n 1  y i , n
Vn 1 Vn 1 E mv 
y i , n 1  y i*, n
Theory in a graph

Gene ric Equilibrium Curve

1
m ole fraction of the light key
com ponent in vapor

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
mole fraction of the light component in liqu
 Total

The Column
Condenser

Stage
2
Stage
3
Stage
4
Stage
Distillation 5
Collumn Stage
6

Stage
7
Stage
8
Stage
9
Stage
10
Stage
11
Stage
12

Reboiler

Feed
Tank

Pump
 The Data
Calibration

Stage State Method Mass%IPA Error y* Mass% Ave Error Emv eq Error

2 Liquid Pycnometer 83.2014 2.7145 85.0 2.5    

3 Liquid Pycnometer 81.4879 2.9938 84.0 2.5 68.2106 192.6003

4 Liquid Pycnometer 78.4166 2.6494 83.0 2.5 67.0089 102.1962

5 Liquid Pycnometer 81.6113 2.7021 84.0 2.5 -133.7437 -259.9631

6 Liquid Pycnometer 77.0589 2.5954 82.0 2.5 92.1339 101.3146

7 Liquid Pycnometer 54.8630 2.1294 79.0 2.5 91.9579 18.7079

8 Liquid Pycnometer 53.5125 2.1461 79.0 2.5 5.2986 11.8814

9 Liquid Pycnometer 23.9760 1.6605 75.0 2.5 57.8874 6.3146

10 Liquid RI 4.8889 0.5748 55.0 2.5 38.0896 4.0122

11 Liquid RI 1.7778 0.5691 35.0 2.5 9.3645 2.5398

12 Liquid RI 5.5556 0.5752 60.0 2.5 -6.9388 -1.5218

120
The Trouble
100

80

60

40

20

0
16:19:12 16:33:36 16:48:00 17:02:24 17:16:48 17:31:12 17:45:36
The IPA separation
The ETOH separation
The model
 The IPA Aspen model
 -4.7% at the top
 +8.4% at the bottom
 The three important stages 7, 9, and 10 Murphree-
vapor efficiencies were 91.9+18.7%, 57.9+6.3%,
38.4+4.0%
 Overall column efficiency 8.3%
 Stage efficiency did not matter
The Aspen model for ETOH

 Max flow rate: 2.13 GPM

 Steam flow rate: 1.67 kg/min
 Condenser heat duty: -1739 kJ/min
 Feed composition: 2.5 wt% ETOH
 Distillate composition: 40 wt% ETOH
 ETOH recovery: 99.4%
Recomendations

 Replace the automatic control valve for the

steam flow to the reboiler.
 Replace the leaky manual steam valve.
 Refine the ETOH model with steady state
data.
Special thanks to team-J

 Jaron Stanley: Team Leader

 James Gardner: Operator
 Jesse Reeves: Team player
References

 Seader, J. D., Henley, Ernest J., Separation

Process Principles, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
pp. 44, 301, 358-397 (1998).
 Distillation Column Manual, unpublished
printed notes, Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City,
Utah 1997.
Questions