Science Symposium 99’

Controlling Tangent Pinches in the

Design of Distillation Columns for
the separation of non-ideal mixtures

Audi Okullo
 Column distillation for non-ideal mixtures
• Background Information on column distillation
•and the Chemical and Physical concepts

• Design and considerations

•Graphical representation

•Simulation and Analysis of Economics of design

 The Concept of Design
Inputs and out puts are Known

Ideal mixture:
approximate design and parameters using equation models

non-ideal mixture:
guess design and improve by successive simulation

Steps
Check feasibility
Calculate minimum reflux r, (R/D)
Calculate number of stages (N),
Separation purities (99.5%)
Energy requirements
size of column
Example of Distillation Tower
Sections of a Distillation Tower
Tray Hydraulics: vapor & liquid flows
Operating Region for a Plate column
Internal liquid and vapor flows
 Material Balances
 F=D+B

FzF= DZD + BZB



 D = ZF-ZB B = ZD-ZF
F ZD-ZB F ZD-ZB

Ideal mixture: i(T,P,x) = io (T,P) + RTln xi

Non-ideal Mixture: il(T,P,x)=iol(T,P) + RTln xiyi

Assume Constant Volatility and Molal Overflow

Graphical Solution of a stripping design

Operating
line
McCabe-Thiele showing a pinch
 McCabe Thiele Diagrams

Minimum stages

Minimum reflux
Tangent Pinch controlling minimum reflux
(Benzene-ethylenediamine )
Tangent pinch on a bifurcation diagram
Component
Data
Column with recycle
Separation Profiles
Sensitivity Analysis
Two Columns with recycle
Sensitivity Analysis
Effects of Reflux Ratio on Costs
Economics

Operating Costs

ln P= 0.00365h-6.3967
Cstm= (31 ln P -214) PE + 482 Pc

Total Annual Costs

TAC= [2.43 Kcap + 0.19] Ccap + Cop

Acknowledgments

Professor Mike Malone, UMass

Chemical Engineering Dept.
Advisor: Mary Campbell
Professor: Sheila Browne
Chemistry Department
Traditional process to produce methyl Acetate