UNIT OPERATIONS II

Dr Vepika Kandjou
Offices Block 108/ 12
Department of Chemical, Materials & Metallurgical Engineering
 DISTILLATION: SIDE STREAMS

• Distillation columns may have more than one exit streams.

• A side stream or intermediate product is defined as any
product stream other than the distillate and bottoms product
streams.
• Usually done when an intermediate product of certain
composition is desired.
• More often used in multicomponent distillation but can also
be removed in binary mixtures.
• The side stream is normally removed as liquid, and can be
either above or below the feed stream depending on the
desired composition.
SIDE STREAMS
ENRICHING SECTION OPERATING LINE (Between side
stream and top)
 ENRICHING SECTION OPERATING LINE (Between side
stream and top)
Mass balance over rectifying section (above side
stream)
Vn  Ln 1  D
Component balance over rectifying section (above side stream)
ynVn  Ln 1 xn 1  Dxd
But
Ln  Ln 1

y nVn  Ln xn 1  Dxd
Ln D
yn  xn 1  xd
Vn Vn
SIDE STREAM SECTION OPERATING LINE (Over the side
stream)

Vn

Ln
 SIDE STREAM SECTION OPERATING LINE (Over side
stream)

Mass balance over rectifying section (between feed

inlet and side stream)

Vs  Ls 1  Vs 1  Ls  S
Constant equimolar Vs 1  Vn  Ln  D Ln  Ls 1
flow ⸫ and
Vs  Ls 1  Ln  D  Ls  S
Vs  Ls 1  Ls 1  D  Ls  S
Vs  D  Ls  S
SIDE STREAM SECTION OPERATING LINE (Between side
stream and feed inlet)
Component balance over rectifying section
(between feed inlet and side stream)
Vs ys  Ls xs  xs S  xd D
Ls x s S  xd D
y s  xs 
Vs Vs
The side stream is extracted as liquid, therefore a liquid
balance across the side stream gives 𝐿 =𝐿
𝑛 𝑠+1

⸫ 𝐿𝑠 = 𝐿𝑛 − 𝑆
Operating line for the stripping section

Mass balance over the stripping section

S
Lm 1  Vm  W
Vm  Lm  W Lm 1  Lm

Lm W
ym  xm 1  xw
Vm Vm
W
Defining Lm : Operating line for the stripping section

Mass balance over plates above

and below the
feed inlet F  V  L  L  V
m n m n

The state of the feed will

determine the flow rates of
W
streams. If the feed is liquid
then V  V
m n
 Operating line for the stripping section
If its vapour then Ln  Lm For a partially
vapourised feed it will be in between

Thus Lm  Ln  F Vn  Vm : ( for
saturated liquid)
Thus the operating line for the stripping section is

Ln  F W
ym  x m 1  xw
Ln  D Ln  D

But
Operating line for the stripping section

Fig. McCabe-Thiele plot for a tower with a liquid side stream above the feed
 CLASS EXAMPLE

The San Antonio distillation plant separates methanol from

water. The unit is fed a 50-50 mixture water and methanol
50% vapourised feed entering with a flow rate of 500
kmol/hr. The column is well insulated and has a total
condenser. The reflux is set at 2 and it returns as a liquid.
The compositions in the distillate and the bottoms are
0.95 and 0.05 mole fractions of methanol. The column is
operated at 1 atm. If 100 kmol/hr is taken off somewhere
in the column with a composition of 0.75 of methanol.
What is the optimal stage for this and how many stages
does it require. The value of q in this case is 0.5.
 Tutorial question

A continuous fractionating column is required to

separate a mixture of water and ethanol containing
0.35 mole fraction ethanol to give a product
containing 0.80 mole fraction ethanol and a waste
product of 0.02 mole fraction ethanol. It is proposed
to withdraw 25% of the feed stream as side stream
with a mole fraction of 0.5 mole fraction ethanol.
Determine the number of theoretical plates required
and the position of the plate from which the side
stream should be withdrawn if the feed is liquid at its
boiling point and the reflux ratio of 2 is used. The
feed rate is 100kmolhr-1. Use McCabe Thiele Method
x 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
y 0 0.22 0.38 0.51 0.63 0.70 0.78 0.85 0.91 0.96 1.0

Overall mass balance

F  D  W  S  100kmol 1
Component balance – Acetone
x f F  x d D  x wW  x s S
0.35100   0.80 D  0.02W  0.50.25 F 
0.35100  0.80 D  0.02100  D  0.25F   0.50.25100
D  26.923
 Solution cont..

Using the answer obtained for D

0.35100  0.80 D  0.02W  0.50.25F 
35  0.8026.923  0.02W  0.50.25100
35  21.5384  0.02W  12.5
35  21.5384
W
0.02
1
W  48.077 kmolhr
 Solution Cont..

Using the values obtained:

F  D W  S
100  26.923  48.077  S
S  100  26.923  48.077
S  25.00
As given!!!!
 Solution Cont…
Rectifying section operating line (between side stream and top)
Mass balance over rectifying section
Vn  Ln 1  D
Component balance over rectifying section
Ln D
yn  x n 1  xd
Vn Vn
From assumption molar vapour flow rate in a specific
section is constant ie. Vn  Vn 1
Therefore

L  Ln
 Solution Cont…
Rectifying section operating line (between side stream and top)
Reflux L Ln
 
D D
Therefore Ln  R  D
 2  26.923
 53.846kmolhr 1
Vn  53.846  26.923
1
 80.769kmolhr
53.846 26.923
yn  x n 1  0.95
80.769 80.769
 0.67 x n 1  0.33
 Solution Cont…
Operating line for the side stream section (between feed inlet
and side stream)
Mass balance over rectifying section
Vs  Ls 1  Vs 1  Ls  S

But Vs 1  Vn  Ln  D
And
Ln  Ls 1
Vs  Ls  S  D
Component balance over rectifying section
Ls x s S  xd D
y s  xs 
Vs Vs
 Solution Cont…
Operating line for the side stream section (between feed inlet and side
stream)
The side stream is extracted as liquid, therefore a
liquid balance across the side stream gives

Thus

𝑦 𝑠=
28.646
80.139
𝑥 𝑠+1 + (
25×0.5+0.8×26.923
80.139 )
 Solution Cont…
Operating line for the stripping section
Mass balance over the stripping section

Lm 1  Vm  W
Lm W
ym  x m 1  xw
Vm Vm
Mass balance over plates above and below feed inlet

F  V m  Ln  Lm  V n
The state of the feed will determine the flow rates of the
different streams. If the feed is liquid at its boiling point then
Lm  Ln  F
 Vm
Vn(for : feed = saturated liquid)
 Solution Cont…

The operating line for the stripping section is thus

Ln  F W
ym  xm 1  xw
Ln  D Ln  D
53.846  100 48.077
 xm 1   0.02
53.846  26.923 53.846  26.923
153.846 0.962
 xm 1 
80.769 80.769

y m  1.904 x m 1  0.01
 ASSIGNMENT QUESTION

A mixture of water and methanol containing

0.16 mole fraction methanol is continuously distilled in
a plate column to give a product containing 0.77 mole
fraction and a waste of 0.02 mole fraction methanol. It
is proposed to withdraw 8kmol-1 as a side stream
with a mole fraction of 0.5 methanol. A reflux ratio of
2 is applied. Determine the theoretical number of
plates required if the feed rate is 100kmol -1 the feed liquid
at its boiling point.
Determine the location of the feed stream as well as
the side stream.
 Tutorial question

x 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0

y 0.0 0.48 0.59 0.64 0.69 0.74 0.78 0.81 0.86 0.92 1.00
Thank you for your attention!

For more information contact:

E-mail: kandjouv@biust.ac.bw