Process Simulation 1

CHEE3003
Dr Yanna Dimitriou

Lecture 5

Distillation Columns
 NGL fractionation in O&G plants

• Natural gas liquids (NGL) from flash separators (Refrigeration & Compression stations) are
processed through a fractionation train consisting of several distillation columns in series
• NGL fractionation aims to produce useful products, mainly liquefied gases (Propane and Butane), for
sale

REFRIGERATION
Sales
gas
 Learning Outcomes

 Identify assumptions and default specifications for the Shortcut Column and Distillation
Column units in Hysys
 Configure and use the Shortcut Column unit to determine number of trays, feed-stage
location and reflux ratio for more rigorous distillation simulations
 Configure and use the Distillation Column unit to simulate binary and multicomponent
distillation systems
 Add and manipulate column specifications in HYSYS to meet process requirements
 Implement the Case Studies logical operation to carry out sensitivity analyses
 Basics of gas/liquid separation columns

• Mass transfer driven by differences in volatility (distillation) or solubility (absorption) between gas
(vapour) and liquid phase  Separation of components

• Not possible to specify complete composition of product streams independently in MCD  Requires complex
and repetitive calculations to solve

• Separation for MCD specified by selecting two key components between which separation is achieved
• Light key component mainly in top product
• Heavy key component mainly in bottom product

• Purity (% over product stream) vs Recovery (% over feed stream)

• Do a mass balance if given recovery in order to estimate top and bottoms compositions, if neccessary

• Binary distillation simpler to model in HYSYS compared to multicomponent distillation (generally

requires several columns in series)
 Main column options in HYSYS

• Six standard column templates/models:

• Distillation Column
• Absorber
• Refluxed Absorber
• Reboiled Absorber
• Three-phase distillation column
• Liquid-liquid extractor

• Shortcut (distillation) Column

• Used for simplified calculations

• Isolated column solver

• Optional use of different fluid package in columns

 Columns – main assumptions/defaults

• By default, ideal trays (100% tray efficiency) Column type

Actual Typical
trays Efficiency
• User sets column pressure drop (typically 0.1 Absorber/Stripper 15-25 20-30
psi per tray; check by tray vendor)
De-ethaniser 30-35 65-70

• Condenser and reboiler pressure drop is zero by De-propaniser 35-40 70-80

default De-butaniser 38-45 85-90
Naphtha Splitter 30-35 70-75
• Heat losses = 0 in reboiler, condenser and
column
 Distillation Column – things to consider

• The higher the desired product purity  more stages and greater heating and
cooling duties (and thus capex/opex).

• Colum pressure and reflux ratio (R) are critical design (and Hysys)
parameters

• As R increases LT and VT increase hence the diameter of the column must

increase (why?), and the energy duties Q C and QR increase.

• But N, the number of trays, decreases. Why?

In simple terms because you are returning more liquid to the column and L/V
increases towards unity, the liquid can transfer more between the vapour
rising.
 Distillation column: Set up – Connections (compulsory)

• Inputs are entered in several Distillation Column Input Expert windows

• Supply required information before moving to the next page

Condenser options:
• Full reflux - top product is vapour
• Partial - vapour and liquid top products
• Total – top product is liquid
 Distillation column: Set up – Reboiler configuration (compulsory)

• Once-through, Regular Hysys reboiler assumed for

this module
Distillation column: Set up – Pressure profile (compulsory)

• Delta P typically 0.1 psi (0.7 kPa) per tray

Distillation column: Set up – Temperature estimates (optional)

Column easier to converge if top

and bottom stages T are provided

However, unless you are simulating

an existing separation system, it is
unlikely that you know these
Distillation column: Set up - Initial Specs (optional)

You can enter these two specs here

or later in the Monitor/Specs pages
of the Column unit

Avoid using the distillate flowrate

as a spec, unless you are certain
that the column feed rate won’t
change during the lifetime of the
column
 Column Specifications

Specifications
• Number of additional specs depends on DOF of the column model (absorber, distillation, etc), usually 0-3
• Design | Monitor and Design | Specs pages  Enter specs and track DOF
• Usually product recovery and/or purity

Results
• Design | Monitor page  basic results
• Worksheet tab  inlet and outlet stream conditions
• Performance tab product info, duties, profiles

DOF for Distillation columns

o With a total/full reflux condenser  DOF = 2
o With a partial condenser  DOF = 3
 Shortcut Column

• Initial estimates of design parameters (min R, N, etc) for a distillation column

• Results can be used to assist setting up a rigorous distillation model (Distillation Column)

• Specify:
• LK (more volatile component of the
two main components to be separated)
• HK (less volatile component of the
two main components to be separated)
• Condenser & Reboiler pressure
• Reflux ratio

• Uses
• Fenske method: Minimum number of trays
• Underwood method: Minimum reflux
• Typically, R/Rmin = 1.05 – 1.3
• Gilliland method: Actual number of trays
• Kirkbride equation: Optimum feed-stage location
 Columns – simulation tips

• All feed streams must be fully defined

• Never specify product streams directly
• Activate sufficient specs to satisfy Degrees of Freedom analysis (not in output streams!)
• Make sure all active specs have a value
• Calculate some of the column parameters (e.g. N, Feed stage, R) using either traditional
methods (e.g. McCabe-Thiele) or the Shortcut Distillation unit in HYSYS for distillation
processes – avoid guessing these

Convergence
• Ensure you are not entering conflicting specs
• Specify component-based specs (e.g. purity, recovery) over product flows
• Caution when using purity specs: Check carefully to ensure that the amounts of lighter-than-
light-key (or heavier-than-heavy-key) components are not large enough to render the purity
specification infeasible.
 Case Studies

• HYSYS ‘logical operation’ so not a real unit operation

• This is a sensitivity analysis tool - it allows you to monitor the impact of a flowsheet variable
(independent variable) on another (dependent variable)

• Multiple variables can be manipulated or monitored

• Useful to investigate uncertainty in your simulation inputs

• Results in tables or plots (tables can be exported to Excel)

 Case Studies – Example

Note that the independent variable of a Case Study must be a user-specified value (similar to
the Adjust operation)

• Dependent variable: mol% butane in

vapour outlet of flash drum

• Independent variable: Molar flow of n-

butane in butane feed stream
 Summary
• Higher product purity and recovery  higher Qr and Qc

• Effect of R on N, Qr and Qc
• Several independent forms/windows to enter parameters for the Distillation
Column
• Activate sufficient specs to satisfy Degrees of Freedom analysis (DOF = 0) – be
careful of overspecification (DOF <0) !
• Shortcut Column useful for initial estimates, especially when you model a new
distillation column
• Case Studies is one of the most important Hysys tools used mainly for process
optimisation/what-if analyses

 Tutorial 5: Build a simulation of the De-butaniser and De-propaniser distillation

columns of a NGL fractionation train of a natural gas processing plant