Phase equilibria and

mass transfer II
 TODAY’S AGENDA

• Flash separation
– Concept

– Governing Equations

– Doing flash calculations

Again Binary System Phase Diagram
V
Va
p ou
rou
T sC
ur
L+V ve Tdew
L iq
uid
ou
sC Tbubble
ur
ve
L

0% A 100% A
100%B
x,y 0%B
Temperature-Composition Diagram
THEORY OF FLASHING/DISTILLATION

y3
y1
T y2
x3
x1

x2

0% A 100% A
100%B
x,y 0%B
 How to Reach Flashing Conditions
Changing Temperature Changing Pressure

T T

0% A 100% A 0% A 100% A
100%B
x,y 0%B 100%B
x,y 0%B
How to Reach Flashing Conditions
Changing Temperature Changing Pressure
V V
y y

F F
xf xf

L L
x x
 Flash Separation Calculations
V
Overall Material Balance: y

F=L+V
Component Material Balance:
F xFi=L xi+V yi F
xF
Equilibrium Relation:
yi=ki xi

L
x
 Flash Distillation Calculations
V
(L+V) xFi=L xi+V yi y

(L+V) xFi=L xi+V ki xi

(L+V) xFi=(L+V ki) xi
𝑳+𝑽 F
𝒙 𝒊= 𝒙𝒇 xF
𝑳+𝑽 𝒌𝒊 𝒊

It’s also solved by trial and error

on liquid and vapour flow rates.

L
x
 Flash Distillation Calculations
V
For the easiness of trials: y

𝑳+𝑽
𝒙 𝒊= (÷V) 𝒙𝒇
𝑳+𝑽 𝒌𝒊 𝒊

𝑳 F
+𝟏 xF
𝑽
𝒙 𝒊= 𝒙𝒇
𝑳 𝒊

+𝒌 𝒊
𝑽
𝑳
+𝟏
𝑽
𝒚𝒊= 𝒌𝒊 𝒙 𝒇
𝑳 𝒊

+ 𝒌𝒊 L
𝑽 x
 Flash Distillation Calculations
Finally:
𝑳 𝑳
+𝟏 +𝟏
𝑽 𝑽
𝒙 𝒊= 𝒙𝒇 𝒚𝒊= 𝒌𝒊 𝒙 𝒇
𝑳 𝒊
𝑳 𝒊

+𝒌 𝒊 + 𝒌𝒊
𝑽 𝑽

Now trials are done by changing ONLY L/V till Sx

and Sy are BOTH equal one
 Flash Distillation Calculations
Once L/V is calculated, all needed variables can
be calculated:
F=L+V
𝑭
𝑭=
𝑳
𝑽(+𝟏 𝑽 ) 𝑽=
(
𝑳
𝑽
+𝟏 )
𝑳
𝑽
𝑳= 𝑭 − 𝑽 = 𝑭
( 𝑳
𝑽
+𝟏 )
 REMEMBER .....
The case we deal with is the ideal case, that is
why we can say:
𝒐
𝒑𝒊
𝒌 𝒊=
𝑷𝑻
HOWEVER .....
In general, the systems are non-ideal. K values
then can be calculated from the relation
𝒐
𝜸𝒊 𝒇 𝒊
𝒌 𝒊=
𝝓𝒊 𝑷𝑻
 COMMON MISTAKES
𝑳 𝑳
+𝟏 +𝟏
𝑽 𝑽
𝒙 𝒊= 𝒙𝒇 𝒚𝒊= 𝒌𝒊 𝒙 𝒇
𝑳 𝒊
𝑳 𝒊

+𝒌 𝒊 + 𝒌𝒊
𝑽 𝑽
Make sure that xi’s and yi’s are not equal to xfi’s

IF YOU FIND xi’s=xfi’s OR yi’s=xfi’s THEN RECHECK

L/V ... FOR SURE IT IS ONE OF THREE CASES
 Case 1: L/V >>1
𝑳 𝑳
+𝟏 +𝟏
𝑽 𝑽
𝒙 𝒊= 𝒙𝒇 𝒚𝒊= 𝒌𝒊 𝒙 𝒇
𝑳 𝒊
𝑳 𝒊

+𝒌 𝒊 + 𝒌𝒊
𝑽 𝑽
If L/V >>1
𝑳 𝑳
𝑽 𝑽
𝒙𝒊 ≅ 𝒙𝒇 ≅𝒙𝒇 𝒚𝒊= 𝒌 𝒙 ≅ 𝒌𝒊 𝒙 𝒇
𝑳 𝒊 𝒊
𝑳 𝒊 𝒇 𝒊 𝒊

𝑽 𝑽

IF this is your case, assume lower initial value of

L/V and redo the iterations
 Case 1: L/V <<1
𝑳 𝑳
+𝟏 +𝟏
𝑽 𝑽
𝒙 𝒊= 𝒙𝒇 𝒚𝒊= 𝒌𝒊 𝒙 𝒇
𝑳 𝒊
𝑳 𝒊

+𝒌 𝒊 + 𝒌𝒊
𝑽 𝑽
If L/V <<1
𝟏 𝒙𝒇 𝟏
𝒙𝒊 ≅ 𝒙𝒇 = 𝒊
𝒚 𝒊 = 𝒌𝒊 𝒙 𝒇 ≅ 𝒙 𝒇
𝒌𝒊 𝒊
𝒌𝒊 𝒌𝒊 𝒊 𝒊

IF this is your case, assume higher initial value

of L/V and redo the iterations
 Case 3

If case 1 and case 2 don’t apply then recheck

your operating conditions (Temp, Pressure and
composition).
Your system under these conditions is not in the
wet region, so no separation will occur.