Chapter 9 - Batch Distillation

Versatile
Runs may vary in length
Same equipment distills several different products
at different times
Distillation required occasionally

Simple Batch Distillation

D, xD

W, xW

QR

Still pot

Vapor withdrawn continuously

No continuous feed
Liquid drained at end

Multistage Batch Distillation

Staged or packed column
placed above reboiler
D, xD

Reflux returned to
column

column
L

Distillate withdrawn
continuously

W, xW
Still pot

QR

Batch Distillation
Mass balances - entire system

F = W final + Dtotal
FxF = xw, finalW final + xD , avg Dtotal
F, xF, and xW,final or xD,avg specified

Rayleigh Equation
Derived from differential mass balance
Assume holdup is negligible
in - out = accumulation in reboiler

xD dW = d (WxW )
xD dW = WdxW xW dW

Rayleigh Equation
Rearranging and Integrating
W final

dW
=

W
W =F

ln

W final
F

xW , final

xF

dxW
xD xW

xF

xW , final

dxW
xD xW

Simple Batch Distillation

Vapor product in equilibrium with liquid in
still pot
Total condenser
y = xD

ln

W final
F

xF

xW , final

dx
=
yx
x

xF

W , final

dx
f ( x) x

Simple Batch Distillation

General graphical integration procedure
plot y-x equilibrium curve
find y-x for a series of x values
plot 1/(y-x) vs x
graphically integrate from xF to xw,final
find final charge material in still pot

W final

xF dx
= Fe area
= F exp
yx
x
W , final

Simple Batch Distillation

General graphical integration procedure
continued
calculate average distillate concentration

xD , avg =

FxF W final xW , final

F W final

calculate total distillate amount

Dtotal = F W final

Simple Batch Distillation

Trial and error procedure
xD,avg specified instead of xW,final
guess xW,final
calculate area
find Wfinal
calculate xD,avg and compare with given value

Simple Batch Distillation

Constant for equilibrium
Integrate analytically Rayleigh equation

x
y=
1 + ( 1) x
W final
ln
F

xw, final (1 xF )
1 xF

1
+ ln
ln
=

1
1 xW , final

1
x
x

(
)

F
w
final
,

Multistage Batch Distillation

Distillation column placed above reboiler
xD and xW not in equilibrium
Obtain relationship between xD and xW from
stage by stage calculations
assume negligible holdup on each tray, in
the condenser, and in the accumulator
write mass and energy balances around
stage j and the top of the column

Multistage Batch Distillation

Mass and Energy Balances at given t
V, L, and D are molal flow rates

V j +1 = L j + D

V j +1 y j +1 = L j x j + DxD
Qc + V j +1 H j +1 = L j h j + DhD

Multistage Batch Distillation

Assume constant molal overflow
energy balance not needed

y j +1

L
L
= x j + 1 xD
V
V

represents a straight line on a y-x diagram

at any specific time
slope = L/V and x=y intercept = xD
these vary during batch distillation operating line will be continuously changing

Multistage Batch Distillation

Common operating method
Constant reflux ratio
Allow xD to vary

Relationship between xD and xW found

stage-by-stage calculation using McCabeThiele analysis
operating equation plotted on McCabeThiele diagram for series of xD values
step off specified number of equilibrium
contacts starting at xD to find xW

Multistage Batch Distillation

Procedure
McCabe-Thiele analysis
xW values for series of xD values
Calculate 1/(xD - xW )
Evaluate integral
xF

xW , final

dxW
xD xW

Multistage Batch Distillation

Procedure continued
Calculate Wfinal

W final = Fe

area

Calculate average distillate concentration

xD , avg =

FxF W final xW , final

F W final

Calculate total distillate amount

Dtotal = F W final

Example 9-2. Multistage

batch distillation
Given
A still pot plus two equilibrium stage
L/D =2/3, saturated liquid
F = 50 kg moles
XF = 0.32 (ethanol)
Xw,final = 0.045

Find Wfinal, Dtotal, XD,avg

Batch Operating Time

Operating time and batch size
controlled by economics

Total batch time

tbatch = tdown + top

tdown includes dumping the bottoms, cleanup, loading

next batch, heating next batch until reflux occurs
top actual period that distillation occurs
Dtotal
top =
D