Separation Processes 1
hanee@um.edu.my
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Learning outcomes
At the end of this class, you should be able to:
• Explain the purpose of reflux in a distillation process
• Explain the purpose of multiple stage equilibrium separation
• Derive the general operating line equation for multiple stage
equilibrium separation
• Familiarize with McCabe-Thiele method and derivation of related
operating line equations
• Apply the McCabe-Thiele method to determine the theoretical
number of stages
• Estimate the condenser and reboiler duty
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Introduction to Distillation with Reflux
• Comparable to a series of flash-vaporization stages arranged in a
series such that the vapor and liquid products from each stage flow
countercurrent to each other.
• https://youtu.be/M7AL7-44YTc
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Distillation with Reflux (Binary Mixtures)
• Same principle is applied as in simple distillation, but this time involves multiple sequential stages of
vaporization and condensation
• Feed enters somewhere in the middle of the column. The feed can
be in liquid, vapor or a mixture of liquid-vapor phase
Rectification • Liquid flows down the column from stage to stage and contacted
section – vapor is by the vapor flowing upward
enriched by
contact with the • In each stage, vapor and liquid enter, mix and reach equilibrium,
reflux liquid and the vapor and liquid leaving the stage are at equilibrium
1 For a total number of stages N, the overall inlet and outlet are:
Liquid inlet = L0 ; Vapor inlet = VN+1 Rearrange Eq 4 to find yn+1:
L1 V2 Liquid outlet = LN ; Vapor outlet = V1
• Main assumptions:
• Both components have equal and constant molar enthalpies of vaporization (latent heats). Lead to constant molal
• Sensible heat, CpΔT, is negligible compared to latent heat. overflow assumption
• Column is insulated (no heat loss on each stage).
• Column pressure is constant (thermodynamics can be done at a single pressure).
McCabe-Thiele Method:
F
zF
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Stripping Section Operating Line
Total material balance: Component material balance:
yN
N
xN
yB
LN
xN
B
xB
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q-line and feed condition
• Condition of the feed stream F entering the tower determines the relation between the vapor Vm in the stripping
section and Vn in the rectifying section; as well as between Lm and Ln
• E.g. if the vapor is part liquid and part vapor, the vapor will add to Vm to give Vn
Rectification
section
Stripping
section
Cold liquid feed Saturated liquid Partially vaporized Saturated vapor Superheated vapor
feed feed feed feed
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Feed condition
• In cold liquid feed, the entire
feed streams add to the liquid
flowing down the column • When the feed is
• In addition, some vapor saturated liquid, it is at
condenses to heat the feed to its bubble point
the bubble point • No condensation is
• This makes the liquid flow even required to heat the
greater in the stripping section feed, so 𝑉 = 𝑉ത
and decreases the flow of vapor
to the rectifying section
Saturated liquid feed
Cold liquid feed
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Derivation of the q-line equation
• q can also be defined as the number of moles of saturated liquid produced on the feed plate by each
mole of feed added to the tower
Material balance:
𝐿𝑚 = 𝑞𝐹 + 𝐿𝑛 𝑉𝑛 = 𝑉𝑚 + 1 − 𝑞 𝐹
The point of intersection of the rectifying and stripping operating lines can be
derived by using the component material balance equations, without the tray
subscripts (because the intersection will have the same values of x and y)
𝑉𝑛 𝑦 = 𝐿𝑛 𝑥 + 𝐷𝑥𝐷 𝑉𝑚 𝑦 = 𝐿𝑚 𝑥 − 𝐵𝑥𝐵
Subtracting:
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Finding theoretical number of stages, feed location …
• To determine the number of
theoretical trays, the rectifying and
stripping operating lines are drawn to
intersect with the q line
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Theoretical number of stages & feed location
• To determine the number of theoretical
trays, the rectifying and stripping
operating lines are drawn to intersect
with the q line
Average heat capacity of the feed is 159 kJ/kmol.K and the average latent heat is 32099 kJ/kmol. VLE data:
• Draw the q-line starting from x=y=xF=0.45 to another point calculated using the q-line equation
• The stripping operating line is drawn starting at the point x=y=xB=0.10 to the point of intersection between the
rectifying operating line and the q line.
• Start to count the number of stages by stepping off at xD=0.95 until xB=0.10
• The feed location is the stage where one side lies on the rectifying line and one side lies on the stripping line. In
this example, the feed stage is located at stage no. 5
• Note: partial reboiler is an equilibrium stage. Thus, the total number of theoretical stage obtained from the graph
must minus the partial reboiler stage.
• In this example, we obtain a total of 7.6 stages. Thus, there are 6.6 theoretical stage after taking out the reboiler.
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Heating and cooling requirement
If saturated steam is used as the heating medium,
• Heat loss from a large insulated column is the steam required at the reboiler is:
relatively small, and the column itself is
essentially adiabatic 𝑉𝜆
𝑚ሶ 𝑆 =
𝜆𝑆
• The heat effects of the entire unit are confined 𝑚ሶ 𝑆 = steam consumption
to the condenser and the reboiler 𝑉 = vapor rate from reboiler
𝜆𝑆 = latent heat of steam
• If the average molal latent heat is λ and the 𝜆 = molal latent heat of mixture
total sensible heat in the liquid stream is small,
the heat added in the reboiler, q, is Vλ (unit: If water is used as the cooling medium in the condenser and the
Watts or Btu/hour) condensate is not subcooled, the cooling water requirement is:
a) Calculate the moles of overhead product and bottom product per hour
b) Determine the number of ideal plates and the position of the feed plate
c) If steam at 20 lbf/in2 (1.36 atm) gauge is used for heating, how much steam is required per hour for each of
the above three cases, neglecting heat losses and assuming the reflux is a saturated liquid? (Hint: use steam
table to get the heat of vaporization of steam at this condition)
d) If cooling water enters the condenser at 25°C and leaves at 40°C, how much cooling water is required, in cubic
meters per hour?
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Example 3 – McCabe-Thiele Method
Equilibrium data:
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Example 3 – Answers
a) Overhead product: 153.4 kmol/h; Bottom product: 196.6 kmol/h
b) Number of ideal plates and the location of feed plate for each case.
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