Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes

FLASH CALCULATION
A flash is a single-equilibrium stage distillation in witch a feed is partially
vaporized to give a vapor richer in the most volatile components than the
remaining liquid.
a) Adiabatic flash
As shown in fig. (4.10, Seader), a liquid feed is heated under pressure and
flashed adiabatically across a valve to lower pressure, resulting in the
creation of a vapor phase that is separated from the remaining liquid in a
flash drum.
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
b) Isothermal flash
If the valve is omitted, a low-pressure liquid can be partially vaporized in
the heater and then separated into two phases in the flash drum (when
T
V
is specified).
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
Alternatively, a vapor can be cooled and partially condensed, with
phase separation in a flash drum as in figure (4.10b, Seader), to give a
liquid that is richer in the less volatile components.
In both cases, if the equipment is properly designed, the vapor and
liquid leaving the drum are in equilibrium
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
Isothermal flash calculations
FLASH CALCULATION
In this process an entering stream (a liquid at high pressure) flash as it
comes into a vessel that is at lower pressure. Significant quantities of
both liquid and vapor phases are formed.
T
V
=T
L
P
V
=P
L
V= vapor flow rate (moles/ time)
L= Liquid flow rate (moles/ time)
F= Feed flow rate (moles/ time)
z
i
,x
i
,y
i
= mole fraction of
component i in the feed,
liquid, and vapor streams
respectively.

Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
In a typical isothermal flash calculation,
FLASH CALCULATION
Given: F , z
i
, T and P in the vessel.
unknown: V , L, y
i
, and x
i
.
We have (C) component balances, C more equations are required. They
are obtained from phase equilibrium.
Total mass balance (1 eqn)
(1) V L F + =
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
(2) Vyi Lx Fz
i i
+ =
(4) ) ( xi VK x V F Fz
i i i
+ =
Component mass balance (C) equation:
Phase equilibrium (C) equation:
(3) and (1) are substituted in (2):
Solving for x
i
:
(3)
P
P
K
x
y
iL
sat
i
i
i
i

= =
(5)
i
i
i
VK V F
F z
x
+
=
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
Dividing numerator and denominator by F yields
(6)
] 1 )[ / ( 1 +
=
i
i
i
K F V
z
x
(7)
] 1 )[ / ( 1 +
=
P
P
F V
z
x
sat
i
i
i
If the system is ideal,
iL
= 1.0, K
i
=P
i
sat
/P
Equations 6,7 can be written for each of the (C) components in the system

=
=
=
=
=
(

+
=
C i
i
i
i
C i
i
i
K F V
z
x
1 1
0 . 1
] 1 )[ / ( 1
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
i i i
x K y =
] 1 )[ / ( 1 +
=
i
i i
i
K F V
K z
y
and

=
=
=
=
=
(

+
=
C i
i
i
i i
C i
i
i
K F V
K z
y
1 1
0 . 1
] 1 )[ / ( 1
If
Then
A flash calculation is an iterative trial and error procedure where the
problem is to guess (V/F) ratio until:
0 . 1
1
=

=
=
C i
i
i
x
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
Flash calculation iteration for ideal systems
The first thing to do in any flash calculation is to make sure that something
will flash (there is liquid and vapor phases).
If we are in a region where nothing flashes P of the system must higher
than the bubble point P of the feed at the specific T.
| |

=
=
=
C i
i
sat
i i BUB
P z P
1
If P>P
BUB
, nothing will flash, V/F=0
and x
i
=z
i x,y
Sub-cooled
liquid
0
1.0
Superheated
Vapor
y
z
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

x
x
1
y
1
P
1
y
BP
x
DP
Saturated
vapor line
Saturated liquid line
P
BP
P
DP
T= constant

=
=
=
=
=
= =
n i
1 i
i BUB
n i
1 i
i
z P
0 . 1
z
,
sat
i
sat
i
sat
i i
i
P
P
P
P
P z
y
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
Dew point
(

=
=
C i
i
sat
i i
Dew
P z
P
1
/ (
1
If P< P
Dew
, every thing flashes, V/F=1 and y
i
=z
i
(

=
= =

=
=
=
=
=
=
n i
i
sat
i i
Dew
n i
i
n i
i
sat
i
i
i
P z
P
P
P z
x
1
1 1
/ (
1
0 . 1
Once we know that two phases will be present, equation (7) must be
solved for (V/F).
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
Example: A liquid feed stream containing 40 mole perercent benzene,
35 mole percent toluene and 25 mole percent o-xylene is flashed
to 110C and 760 mm Hg (14.7psia). Determine the flow rates and
compositions of the vapor and liquid streams after the flash for 100
kg-mole/hr of feed. The VLE relationships can be assumed to be
ideal. i.e the system obeys Raoult's Law.
Solution
The first thing to do in any flash calculation is to check whether the actual
pressure P is between the bubble point and dew point pressures of the feed at
the operating temperature.
The vapor pressures at 110C (230F) are read from the Cox chart.
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
P
i
sat
at 110
o
C from Cox chart.
Benzene (1) = P
1
sat
= 33 psia
Toluene (2)= P
2
sat
= 14 psia .
O-Xylene (3)= P
3
sat
= 5.6 psia
F
100 kgmole/hr
z
1
= 0.4
z
2
=0.35
z
3
=0.25
V=?
y
1
= ?
y
2
=?
y
3
=?
L=?
x
1
= ?
x
2
=?
x
3
=?
T
V
=T
L
=110
o
C

P
V
=P
L
= 1 atm

| |

=
=
=
C i
i
sat
i i BUB
P z P
1
(

=
=
C i
i
sat
i i
Dew
P z
P
1
/ (
1
P
Dew
< P=14.7 psia < P
BUB
So there are two phases in the drum (vap. and liq. phases
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
Guess: V/F = 0.5, 0.7 and 0.65
V/F=0.5 V/F=0.7 V/F=0.65 y
i
(at V/F=0.65)

Component z
i
P
j
sat
x
i
x
i
x
i
Benzene 0.4 33 0.247 0.214 0.22 0.496
Toluene 0.35 14 0.359 0.362 0.36 0.344
O-xylene 0.25 5.6 0.362 0.441 0.42 0.159
Total 1.000 0.968 1.017 1.00 0.999

] 1 )[ / ( 1 +
=
P
P
F V
z
x
sat
i
i
i
law s Raoult'
P
P x
y
sat
i i
i
=
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
V =(V/F)* F =0.65 * 100= 65 kg mole/ hr
L= F - V = 100 - 65 = 35 kg mole/hr
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
Flash calculations in VLE relationship = f(T,P) only and not
f(composition), the isothermal flash calculation is essentially the same
as if the system were ideal.
a) Binary system (T,P are specified)
0 . 1 , 0 . 1
2 1 2 1
= + = + x x y y
2
2
2
1
1
1
,
x
y
K
x
y
K = =
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
,
x
y
K
x
y
K

= =
1 1 1
x K y =
2
1 1
1
1
1 1
2
1
- 1 ,
1
1

K
x K
x
x
x K
K

=

=
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
0 . 1 , 1 ) 1 (
1 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 1
= + = K x K x K x K K x
2 2 1 1
1 ) ( K K K x =
2 1
1
2
2 1
2
1
1
,
1

K K
K
x
K K
K
x

=
y
1
and y
2
can be obtained from y
i
=K
i
x
i

The fraction vaporization (V/F) can be obtained from
, Vyi Lx Fz
i i
+ =
, V L F + = i i i
x K y =
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
) (
) 1 (
,
) (
) 1 (
2 1
1 2
2 2 2
2 1
2 1
1 1 1
K K
K K
x K y
K K
K K
x K y

= =

= =
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
b) Multi-components systems:
, Vyi Lx Fz
i i
+ = and V L F + =
into
i i i
x K y =
, ) ( V L z V x K L x
i i i i
+ = +
) ( V L z V y L
K
y
i i
i
i
+ = +
divide by L divide by L
) / ( 1
) / 1 (
V K L
V L z
y
i
i
i
+
+
=
) / ( 1
) / 1 (
L V K
L V z
x
i
i
i
+
+
=
i
L
V K
i
for factor stripping =
i
V K
L
i
for factor Absorption =
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
product. in vapor component of moles
prpduct. liquid in component of moles
feed. in component of moles
i V y v
i L x l
i F z f
i i
i i
i i
= =
= =
= =
) / ( 1 ) / ( 1
z

i
L V K
f
L V K
F
L x l
i
i
i
i i
+
=
+
= =
) / 1 ( ,
) / ( 1
) (
*
) / ( 1
) / 1 ( z

i
L V L V L F
L V K
V L z
L
L V K
L V
L x l
i
i
i
i i
+ = + =
+
+
=
+
+
= =
) 1 / ( ,
) / ( 1
) / 1 ( z

i
+ = + = -
+
+
= = V L V V L F V
V K L
V L
V y v
i
i i
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
) / ( 1 ) / ( 1
) / 1 ( z

i
V K L
f
V K L
V L
V y v
i
i
i
i i
+
=
+
+
= =
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
Case #1
If T and ( )of one component i is specified
(1) for factor Absorption 1 i
v
f
V K
L
i
i
i
= =
(2) for factor Absorption 1 j
v
f
V K
L
j
j
j
= =
give to rearrange be can
) / ( 1
equation The
V K L
f
V y v
i
i
i i
+
= =
i i
f v /
If equation (2) is divided equation. (1)
) 1 / (
) 1 / (
*

= =
i i
j j
ij
i
j
v f
v f
L
V K
V K
L
o
Guess P and find o
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
1 / ) 1 / ( =
j j i i ij
v f v f o
1 ) 1 ( + =
i
i
ij
j
j
v
f
v
f
o
or if equation (1) is divided by equation (2)
) 1 / (
) 1 / (
*

= =
j j
i i
ji
j
j
v f
v f
L
V K
V K
L
o
ji
ij
i i
ji
j
j
v f
v
f
o
o
o
1
1 ) 1 / (
1
=
+ =
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
Case # 2
P and T are specified
) 1 (
1 ) 1 ( ) / ( 1
) / 1 (
L
V
L V L F
F V K
z
L V K
L V z
x
i
i
i
i
i
+ = + =
+
=
+
+
=
) 1 (
1 ) 1 ( ) / ( 1
) / 1 (
+ = + =
+
=
+
+
=
V
L
V V L F
F V K
K z
V K L
V L z
y
i
i i
i
i
i

+

= = =
1 ) / )( 1 (
) 1 (
) / ( ) (
F V K
K z
x y F V f f
i
i i
i i

It is called Rachford-Rice function

fraction vapor called is
If f(V/F) is positive at V/F =0 and negative at V/F =1.0, then two phases are present . If
f(V/F) is negative at V/F =0, the system is sub-cooled. If f(V/F) is positive at V/F =1, the
system is superheated vapor.
Dr Saad Al-Shahrani ChE 334: Separation Processes
FLASH CALCULATION
Case # 3
P and V/F specified
Guess T
Like case # 2
Case # 4
P and ( )of one component are specified
i i
f v /
Guess T
Like case # 1