Equilibrium Stage

Operations
Introduction
• Mass transfer devices consists of assemblies of interconnected individual
units
• Streams move counter currently through the assembly
• These multi stage systems are called cascades
• Streams entering each stage are not in equilibrium. Why ?
• Streams exiting are very close to equilibrium than the ones entering
• To simplify design, we assume exit streams to be in equilibrium, which
makes each stage ideal
• A correction factor or efficiency is applied to account for departures from
equilibrium
Low boilers
High boilers
Principles of Stage Processes
For steady flow,
La + Vn+1 = Va + Ln
Also, Laxa + Vn+1yn+1 = Vaya + Lnxn
For overall tower, La + Vb = Va + Lb

Enthalpy balances are written in the same way

LaHL,a + Vn+1HV,n+1 = VaHV,a + LnHL,n
LaHL,a + VbHV,b = VaHV,a + LbHL,b
Graphical methods
•Operating
  line equation is
Determining number of ideal stages

McCabe Thiele method

Let’s first find the end points (xa, ya) and (xb, yb)
Let’s assume 100 mole basis for Vb
yb = 0.3, xa = 0
Then, amount of acetone in gas = 30 mol
Of this 97% is to be absorbed i.e. = 29.1 mol
absorbed
0.9 mol remaining in the exit gas.
Va = 70.9
ya = 0.9/(70.9) = 0.0127
Also, xb = 0.1
Also, 0.1Lb = 29.1, Lb = 291
Therefore, La = 291-29.1 = 261.9
Let’s find intermediate points. From this figure 70.9
say (xn, yn).
We know the values of La, xa, Va and ya.
261.9
Let’s assume 5 mol of acetone is left in gas. So,
25 mol of acetone is absorbed from gas.
yn+1 = 5/(100-25) = 0.067
Vn+1 = 100-25 = 75
From acetone material balance,
261.9*0 + 75*0.067 = 70.9*0.0127 + xn*Ln
xn*Ln = 4.124
xn = 4.124/ (261.9+4.124) = 0.015
100 291
Absorption factor method for calculating the
number of ideal stages
•When
  O.L and E.L are both straight over a given concentration range xa
to xb, then no. of stages can be calculated directly
  𝑦 𝑏 − 𝑦 ∗𝑏   𝑥𝑎 − 𝑥∗
𝑎
ln ⁡[ ∗
] ln ⁡[ ∗
]
𝑦𝑎− 𝑦 𝑎 𝑥𝑏 − 𝑥𝑏
𝑁= 𝑁=
𝑦𝑏 − 𝑦𝑎 𝑥𝑎 − 𝑥𝑏
ln ⁡[ ∗ ∗
] ln ⁡[ ]
𝑦𝑏 − 𝑦𝑎 𝑥∗𝑎 − 𝑥 ∗
𝑏
• 
S =0.8*1.5 = 1.2 S =0.8*2 = 1.6
yb = 0 Let f be the fraction of ammonia removed
yb = 0  
L*xb = 0.1*L*xa
L*xb = (1-f)*L*xa f = 96.2
xb = 0.1xa
xb = (1-f) xa
Material balance Material balance
L*(xa-xb) = V*(ya-yb) L*(xa-xb) = V*(ya-yb)
ya = L/V *0.9 xa = 0.9xa/1.5 = 0.6 xa ya = L/V *f xa = fxa/2 = 0.5f xa
xa* = ya*/0.8 = 0.75xa xa* = ya*/0.8 = 0.5fxa/0.8 = 0.625f
xb* = 0 xb* = 0
Nth = 5.02
Nth = 5.02
Nac = Nth / E  E = 5.02/7 = 72%
Nac = Nth / E  E = 5.02/7 = 72%