Reactor

The reaction in reactor is as follow

CH3OH + C4H8 → (CH)3COCH3

Material Balance across reactor

Total MTBE production = 1000 tons

MTBE production = 1000 ton × 1000 kg/1 ton = 1000000kg
= 1000000/88 = 11363.63636 kg mole
From reaction C4H8 required = 11363.63636 kg mole
As conversion is 92.5 %
C4H8 required = 11363.63636/0.925
= 12285.012285 kg mole
C4H8 react = 11363.63636 kg mole

C4H8 unreacted = 12285.012285 – 11363.63636

= 921.37589 kg mole
Since,
𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑙 1.25
=
𝑏𝑢𝑡𝑦𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑒 1

Methanol in 1.25 % excess = 12285.012285 × 1.125

= 13820.63882 kg mole
Methanol react = 11363.63636 kg mole
Methanol unreacted = 13820.63882 - 11363.63636
= 2457.002 kg mole
Balance across Distillation column
In Feed
Methanol flow rate = F1 = 2457.00244 kg mole
Butylene flow rate = F2 = 921.3759 kg mole
MTBE = F3 = 11363.63636 kg mole
Total feed flow rate = F = 14742.0147 kg mole

In Bottom
As MTBE is heavy key-component so all of it goes to bottom and is 99 % pure.
Wx3 = 11363.63636 kg mole
W (0.99) = 11363.63636
W = 11478.42057 kg mole
Component 1 is light key-component so it all goes to top.
Wx1 = 0
Small amount of Component 2 goes to bottom product i.e. 1 % of W,
Wx2 = 0.01 × 11478.42057 = 114.7842 kg mole

In Top
F-D=W
14742.0147 - D = 11478.42057
D = 3263.5941 kg mole
As component 1 is light key so it all goes to top.
Dx1 = 2457.0024 kg mole
Dx2 = 921.3759 – 114.7842 = 806.5917 kg mole
Dx3 = 0
Balance across absorber
At inlet
Methanol flow rate = 2457.002 kg mole
Butylene flow rate = 806.5918 kg mole
Total flow rate = 3263.5938 kg mole
Since the water used to extract the methanol is fed in a 4:1 molar ratio of water to all entering
methanol.so,
Water in = 2457.002 × 4 = 9828.008 kg mole

At outlet top
Three percent of the water is absorbed into the organic stream.
Water flow rate = 0.03 × 9828.008
= 294.8402952 kg mole
Butylene goes 5 % of the entering butylene in bottom stream so at top
Butylene flow rate = 0.95 × 806.5918
= 766.2622 kg mole
Methanol at top is 4 % of the methanol fed in the absorber
Methanol flow rate = 0.04 × 2457.002
= 98.2800984 kg mole

At outlet bottom
Methanol flow rate = 2457.002 – 98.2800984
= 2358.7224 kg mole
Butylene flow rate = 806.5918 - 766.2622
= 40.3296 kg mole
Water flow rate = 9828.008 - 294.8402952
= 9533.1695 kg mole
Balance across Flash drum
At Inlet
Methanol flow rate = 2358.722 kg mole
Butylene flow rate = 40.32959 kg mole
Water flow rate = 9533.17 kg mole

At outlet Top
The vapor leaving the flash drum contains 2.5% of the entering water and 3.5% of the entering
methanol.
Water flow rate = 0.025 × 9533.17
= 238.3292 kg mole
Methanol flow rate = 0.035 × 2358.722
= 82.55528 kg mole
Butylene all goes to top
Butylene flow rate = 40.32959 kg mole

At outlet bottom
Methanol flow rate = 2358.722 - 82.55528
= 2276.167 kg mole
Water flow rate = 9533.17 - 238.3292 kg mole
= 9294.84 kg mole

Balance across methanol recovery column

At Inlet
Methanol flow rate = 2276.167 kg mole
Water flow rate = 9294.84 kg mole

At outlet top
The overhead stream contains 99% of the methanol fed to the column
 Methanol flow rate = 0.99 × 2276.167
= 2253.405 kg mole
Water flow rate = 0.01 × 9294.84
= 92.9484 kg mole

At outlet bottom
Methanol flow rate = 2276.167-2253.405
= 22.76167 kg mole
Water flow rate = 9294.84 - 92.9484
= 9201.892 kg mole