2013

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

CHE 495 Term 131

DISTLATION COLUMN DESIGN

Author: Ageel Buhlaigah 200872740

Group (5)

Submitted to:

Dr. Muataz Ali Atieh

AL-ABDUL-QADER ABDUL-AZIZ AHMAD [Type the company name] 1/1/2013

DISTILLATION COLUMN DESIGN

Abstract:
In this report, the design of distillation columns was carried out. The number of stages (trays), the stage on which the feed enters, reflux ratio, diameter of both stripping and rectify sections, the operating velocity, overall efficiency of the column ,the length of the tower and the material of construction are calculated and tabulated in table 1and 2. INTRODUCTION A distillation column (fractionating column or fractionation column) is an essential item used in the distillation of liquid mixtures so as to separate the mixture into its component parts, or fractions, based on the differences in their volatilities. Fractionating columns are used in small scale laboratory distillations as well as for large-scale industrial distillations. Multi-stages columns are used to enhance the separation process by increasing the contact area between the vapor and the liquid inside the column. The concept of the separation in distillation processes is to vaporize the more volatile component and collect it from the top of the column in its simplest form (binary mixture). The most commonly used method in the design of Distillation column is by McCabe-Thiele technique which is a graphical based on vapor-liquid equilibrium data and a mass balance. The main assumption made in the McCabe-Thiele method is that there must be equi-molar overflow through the tower between the feed inlet and the top tray and between the feed inlet and the bottom tray. In designing distillation towers, several parameters should be determined such as:

Diameter of the tower. Height of the tower. Overall efficiency of the tower. Hydraulic design of the internal trays.

Figure 1: The basic equipment required for continuous distillation.

Theoretical Background:
A.1.Distillation Column Design: For the minimum number of trays: Using Fenske equation:
( ( ) )

(1) Where: A Light key and B (the reference) is Heavy key.

For the theoretical number of stages (N): Using Gilliland correlation:

( ) ( ) ( )

(2)

For 0.01 x 0.90 (3) For the theoretical feed stage: Using Kirkbrides correlation: ( ) { ( )* + } (4)

For the overall efficiency of the column, the following equation is used: (5) Where:

To find the diameter of the column, the following equation will be used:

(6)

Where Uop is the operating vapor velocity in ft/s, and can be found by the following formula: (7) The fraction is typically lays in between 0.65 to 0.9, and good performance at 75 % of flooding velocity.

The flooding vapor velocity based on net area of vapor flow is determined from the following relation: ( ) (8) is tha capacity factor and a

is the surface tension of liquid in dynes/cm, and function of flow parameter FP

For 18-in tray spacing (as recommended from heuristics for tower trays): (9) Where is the flow parameter and the following relation is used to find it: (10) WL and WV are the mass flow rate of liquid and vapor and densities are mass densities. will be calculated by the use of the following formula: (11) A.2.Sieve tray layout and tray hydraulics: Sieve tray designs probably provide the majority of installed tray types used in the process industry and are widely accepted due to their excellent operating characteristics, low cost Investment and low maintenance requirements. As a result, sieve tray was chosen for constructing the internal stages.

Figure: A photo for a sieve tray. The total cross sectional area of the column is: (12) The active area can be estimated for two downcomers: ( ) (13)

Where is the fraction of the column cross-sectional area that is available for vapor flow above the tray. Typically lies between 0.85 - 0.95 and 0.9 will be used. Obviously, can be determined from tray layout: (14) Or (15) Where corresponds to a value of . The average value of is between

7% and 16%, with 10% a reasonable first guess.

The vapor velocity through the holes, calculated from

, in feet per second (ft/sec) can be

(16) Where V is Ib moles/hr The downcomer area Ad can be determined from (17) Or (18) Combining equations (13), and (14), we can solve for angle and length of the weir The head of clear liquid in the downcomer, of heads that must be overcome. , can be determined from the sum

(19) On sieve trays, the liquid gradient usually ignored. The head of liquid required to overcome the pressure drop of gas on a dry tray, , can be measured experimentally or estimated (Ludwig, 1995) from ( ) (20) , across the tray is often very small and is

The orifice coefficient, , can be determined (in inches )from the correlation of Hughmark and OConnell (1957). This correlation can be fit by the following equation (Kessler and Wankat, 1987): ( ) (21)

Where is the tray thickness. The minimum value of is 1.0. The weir height, , is the actual height of the weir. The minimum weir height is 0.5 inch with 2 to 4 inches more common. The height of the liquid crest over the weir, Francis weir equation. ( , can be calculated from the

(22)

Where is in inches. In this equation is the liquid flow rate in gal/min that is due to both L and e. the factor is a modification factor. There is a frictional loss due to flow in the downcomer and under the downcomer onto the tray. This term, , can be estimated from the empirical equation (Ludwig, 1997; Bolles, 1963). ( ) (23)

Where is in inches and is the flow area under the downcomer apron in ft2. The downcomer apron typically has a 1-in gap above the tray. (24)

The condition for avoiding excessive weeping can be determined from estimation of (Kessler and Wankat, 1987) as (25) where 0.14. The surface tension head can be estimated from the following eqation (26) . Equation (25) is valid for ranging from 0.06 to

Results:
Table 1: Summary for distillation column T-202

Distillation Summary Table for T-202 Diameter (m) Height (m) Orientation Internals Number of trays Pressure (bar) Material of Construction 2.48 58.63 Vertical Sieve trays 78 6.3 Carbon Steel

Table 2: Summary for distillation column T-204

Distillation Summary Table for T-204 Diameter (m) Height (m) Orientation Internals Number of trays Pressure (bar) Material of Construction 3.1 20.8308 Vertical Sieve trays 46 6.2 Carbon Steel

Table3: Distillation column calculation summary table for T-202

ac eth ea h2o bu aa F 1.4588 169.9502 3.2823 3466.474 3.2823 2.1882 3646.635 Z 0.0004 0.0466 0.0009 0.9505 0.0009 0.0006 Top 1.28592 28.23158 3.384 12.21398 0 0 45.11549 Xd 0.0285 0.6257 0.075 0.2707 0 0 Bot 0 141.9188 0.10806 3454.318 3.2418 2.1612 3601.748 Xb 0 0.0394 0.00003 0.959 0.0009 0.0006

Density V Density L WL WV Fp Csp Uflood

8.373 824.5 6.92E+04 95676 0.072844571 0.273050091 46.13 3.186187616

Uo Anet n Di Vol Nmin Nfmin N

0.72542 4.374241 0.9 2.487627 1.45 24.4613 15.28359 65

Nf Nact Nfact L (m) Atot Ad A_activ

41.6 78 51 58.63 0.05 4.83 0.483 3.864

Table4: Distillation column calculation summary table for T-204

F Z Top Xd Bot Xb 141.9188 0.0394 137.3882 0.6897 4.53056 0.0013 0.10806 0.00003 0 0 0.10806 0 3454.318 0.959 61.752 0.31 3392.566 0.997 3.2418 0.0009 0.05976 0.0003 3.18204 0.0009 2.1612 0.0006 0 0 2.1612 0.0007 199.2 3402.548

eth ea h2o bu aa

Density V

Density L WL WV Fp Csp Uflood

7.34E+00 Uo 828.5 Anet 6.17E+04 1.56E+05 0.037141336 0.295856382 47.28 3.72E+00

n Di Vol Nmin Nfmin N

0.849 Nf 6.97E+00 Nact 0.9 3.139753 1.95764 11.0788 5.942495 32.5

Nfact L (m) Atot Ad A_activ

16.5 46 23 35.208 0.08 7.74 0.774 6.192

Calculation Procedure: For distillation column( T-202 ) Assumptions: 1. Binary mixture. 2. Constant molal overflow (CMO). 3. No heat leak.

= 1.45 For the minimum number of trays: Using Fenske equation: ( ( ) )

So

= 25 equilibrium stages including reboiler

For the theoretical number of stages (N): where ( ) Therefore, N = 2.5 (25+1) from heuristics and ( )

 For Nfmin Nfmin = (ln((0.075/0.2707)/(0.0009/0.9505))/ln( For the theoretical feed stage: Nf = ( ) )) = 15.28 trays

For the overall efficiency of the column, the following equation is used:

For 6 = 83.8%

The Diameter, entrainment and weeping For the rectifying section:

For 18 inch spacing:

( )

= 0.273 Surface tension:

Hence, column length: From heuristics: For towers about 0.9 m dia, add 1.2 m at the top for vapor disengagement, and 1.8 m at bottom for liquid level and reboiler return.

Material of construction (MOC): Since the liquid and gas mixtures are not corrosive and the column temperature under 400 C. The carbon steel is the appropriate MOC.

Figure: 3 Entrainment correlation from Fair (1963)

With 75% flooding and Flv = 0.0728,

below 0.1. Hence, no entrainment in the rectifying section.

The total cross sectional area of the column:

Downcomer area:

Table 3: Geometric relationship between and Iweir/diameter.

lweir/Dia 0.8 0.871 0.825 0.843 0.85 0.811 0.875 0.773 0.9 0.726 0.925 0.669 0.95 0.593 0.975 0.478

Active area:

Area of the hole:

Vapor Velocity:

Chosen tray is a std. 14 gauge tray with thickness (T tray) = 0.078 in with a common hole diameter do= 3/16 inch for normal operation and clean service. Pitch Std. spacing between the holes of 3.8do = 0.1725 inches. A 2.5 in space between the edge holes and the column wall is chosen, and a space of 4 in between the edge hole and the tray weir. Orifice coefficient: ( ) ( )

Calculating heads on sieve tray: ( )

Assume

The correction factor: From figure (10-20) in CHE 306 (Separation Process Engineering, Wankat 2nd ed) Fw=1 ( )

From the equality above, weeping would not be a problem in the rectifying section. For distillation column( T-204 ), Assumptions: 4. Binary mixture. 5. Constant molal overflow (CMO). 6. No heat leak.

= 1.957 For the minimum number of trays: Using Fenske equation: ( ( ) )

So

= 12 equilibrium stages including reboiler

For the theoretical number of stages (N): where ( ) from heuristics and ( )

Therefore, N = 2.5 (12+1)

For Nfmin Nfmin = (ln((0.075/0.2707)/(0.0009/0.9505))/ln( For the theoretical feed stage: Nf = ( ) )) = 5.9 trays

For the overall efficiency of the column, the following equation is used:

For 1 = 73%

The Diameter, entrainment and weeping For the rectifying section:

For 18 inch spacing:

( )

= 0.2958 Surface tension:

Hence, column length: From heuristics:

 For towers about 0.9 m dia, add 1.2 m at the top for vapor disengagement, and 1.8 m at bottom for liquid level and reboiler return.

Material of construction (MOC): Since the liquid and gas mixtures are not corrosive and the column temperature under 400 C. The carbon steel is the appropriate MOC.

Figure: 3 Entrainment correlation from Fair (1963)

With 75% flooding and Flv = 0.0371,

below 0.1. Hence, no entrainment in the rectifying section.

The total cross sectional area of the column:

Downcomer area:

Table 3: Geometric relationship between and Iweir/diameter.

lweir/Dia 0.8 0.871 0.825 0.843 0.85 0.811 0.875 0.773 0.9 0.726 0.925 0.669 0.95 0.593 0.975 0.478

Active area:

Area of the hole:

Vapor Velocity:

Chosen tray is a std. 14 gauge tray with thickness (T tray) = 0.078 in with a common hole diameter do= 3/16 inch for normal operation and clean service. Pitch Std. spacing between the holes of 3.8do = 0.1725 inches. A 2.5 in space between the edge holes and the column wall is chosen, and a space of 4 in between the edge hole and the tray weir. Orifice coefficient: ( ) ( )

Calculating heads on sieve tray: ( ) ( )

Assume

The correction factor: From figure (10-20) in CHE 306 (Separation Process Engineering, Wankat 2nd ed) Fw=1 ( )

From the equality above, weeping would not be a problem in the rectifying section.

Process control: 1- Control level in the reflux drum is by manipulation of distillate flow rate. 2- A flow controller has been placed on the reflux line (to ensure steady flow of reflux to the column).

Figure : Process Control Diagram for the distillation column.

Conclusion: To sum up, the design of distillation columns (T-202 and T-204) was carried out. Details of staged column design such as stage geometry, determination of column efficiency, calculation of column diameter, downcomer sizing, and tray layout were discussed and estimated. The dimensions of T-202 were found to be D=2.48 m,L= 58.63 m and n= 78 trays. Also, dimensions of the column T-204 were found to be D=3.14 m,L= 35.2 m and n= 46 trays. Moreover, the sieve tray specifications, weir length, vapor flooding velocity, and liquid weeping were

calculated. The flooding velocity of the vapor was ensured to be in the acceptable range. Also, the weeping would not be a problem as shown.

Reference(s): Wankat, Phillip Separation Process Engineering, Prentice Hall, 2nd Ed. Hysys database.