1. What are the mass flowrates of the feeds before entering DC1 and DC2?

STREAM 2 = 3.114 X 10-4

STREAM 4 = 3.114 X 10-4

2. What are the mass compositions of methanol and water at bottom and distillate for both DC?

DC 1 DC 2
METHANOL – 0.6240 METHANOL -0.6754
OVERHEAD WATER -0.3760 WATER -0.3246
BOTTOM METHANOL -0.0159 METHANOL -0.0015
WATER -0.9841 WATER -0.9985

3. Monitor the mass composition of methanol and water at bottom and distillate for both DC if the
reflux ratio is varied. Explain the variation.

DC 1

INCREASE RF

BOTTOM OVERHEAD
0.6245
0.0130
METHANOL
WATER
0.09870 0.3755

DECREASE RF

BOTTOM OVERHEAD
0.6234
0.0190
METHANOL
WATER
0.9810 0.3766

NORMAL RF

BOTTOM OVERHEAD
0.6240
0.0159
METHANOL
WATER
0.4841 0.3760
BOTTOM – For Methanol, the higher the reflux ratio, the lower the mass fractions

BOTTOM – For Water, the higher the reflux ratio, the lower the mass fractions

DISTILLATE – For methanol, the higher the reflux ratio, the higher the mass fractions

DISTILLATE – For water, the higher the reflux ratio, the lower the mass fractions

BOTTOM – For methanol, the lower the reflux ratio, the higher the mass fractions

BOTTOM - - For water, the lower the reflux ratio, the higher the mass fractions

DISTILLATE – For methanol, the lower the reflux ratio, the lower the mass fractions

DISTILLATE - - For water, the lower the reflux ratio, the higher the mass fractions

DC 2

INCREASE RF

BOTTOM OVERHEAD
0.0009 0.6758
METHANOL
WATER
0.9991 0.3242

DECREASE RF

BOTTOM OVERHEAD
0.0021 0.6755
METHANOL
WATER
0.9979 0.3245

NORMAL RF

BOTTOM OVERHEAD
0.0015 0.6756
METHANOL
WATER
0.9985 0.2440
 BOTTOM – For Methanol, the higher the reflux ratio, the lower the mass fractions

BOTTOM – For Water, the higher the reflux ratio, the higher the mass fractions

DISTILLATE – For methanol, the higher the reflux ratio, the higher the mass fractions

DISTILLATE – For water, the higher the reflux ratio, the higher the mass fractions

BOTTOM – For methanol, the lower the reflux ratio, the higher the mass fractions

BOTTOM - - For water, the lower the reflux ratio, the lower the mass fractions

DISTILLATE – For methanol, the lower the reflux ratio, the lower the mass fractions

DISTILLATE - - For water, the lower the reflux ratio, the higher the mass fractions

4. Monitor the mass composition of methanol and water at the bottom and distillate of the
distillation columns if the number of stages is varied. Explain the variation.

DC 1

INCREASE STAGE

BOTTOM OVERHEAD
0.0256 0.6222
METHANOL
WATER
0.9744 0.3778

DECREASE STAGE

BOTTOM OVERHEAD
0.0024 0.6266
METHANOL
WATER
0.9976 0.3734

NORMAL STAGE

BOTTOM OVERHEAD
0.0099 0.6251
METHANOL
WATER
0.9901 0.3749
DC 2

INCREASE STAGE

BOTTOM OVERHEAD
0.0006 0.6758
METHANOL
WATER
0.9994 0.3242

DECREASE STAGE

BOTTOM OVERHEAD
0.0055 0.6748
METHANOL
WATER
0.9945 0.3252

NORMAL STAGE

BOTTOM OVERHEAD
0.0015 0.6758
METHANOL
WATER
0.9985 0.3242
 5. Identify the best design specifications for both DC that can achieve 99% methanol. Record the
set values.

a. Use monitor specs, add column component fraction

b. Manipulate the number of stages and the reflux ration values of the columns.

c. For DC2, set at the monitor the component fractions of both Methanol (0.99 at
distillate) and water (0.99 at bottom). Set active for methanol, and estimate for water.

DC 1
STAGES 15
DISTILLATE 410 kgmole/hr
REFLUX RATIO 6.450
METHANOL MASS FRACTION 0.9999

FIGURE 1 : DC 1
 DC 2
STAGES 30
DISTILLATE 485 kgmole/hr
REFLUX RATIO 7
WATER MASS FRACTION 0.9988