Acetone Distillation column

Process Description
The acetone distillation column is operating at 1atm and at temperature 338 separation of acetone from IPA/water azeotropic mixture.
The flash tank product is fed to the column at a temperature of 323K. It is intended to obtain high purity acetone of 98% purity in the
top product. The top product leaves at 338K.The reflux ratio is calculated as well the condenser duty, the distillate and the liquid flow
associated with this column. The bottom product also has traces of acetone and mainly IPA/water which are fed to the next column in-
order to recover the major raw material. These bottoms leave at temperature 393K. Calculations are done for the re-boiler to come up
with enthalpy of the re-boiler.

Mass Balances
Assumptions
 99.9% of acetone fed to the column reports to Column tops
 Acetone product purity is 98%
 Top product has an azeotropic mixture of IPA/Water whose molar ratio is 0.73:0.27 respectively.

Calculations

Mass of acetone in top product = 0.999* acetone fed

= (0.999*9284.808)kg/hr.
 = 9275.523 Kg/hr.

No of moles of acetone top product = mass/Mr

= 9275.52/58.08

= 159.703 Kmol/hr.
Acetone product purity = 98%

Mole fraction of acetone = 0.98

Mole fraction of IPA/Water azeotropic mixture = 0.02

Molar ratio of the IPA/Water azeotropic mixture = 0.73: 0.27

Total number of top product moles = (159.703/0.98) Kmol/hr.

= 162.962 Kmol/hr.

No of moles of IPA top product = (Total top product moles *0.02*.73) Kmol/hr.

= 2.378 Kmol/hr.

Mass of IPA top product = (2.378*60.1) Kg/hr.

= 142.910 Kg/hr.

No of moles of water top product = (Total top product moles*0.02*.27) Kmol/hr.

= 0.881 Kmol/hr.

Mass of Water top product = (0.881*18) Kg/hr.

= 15.865 Kg/hr.

Mass of acetone in Bottom product = Mass of acetone fed to the column-Mass of acetone in top product
 = (9284.808 - 9275.523) kg/hr.

= 9.285 Kg/hr.

No of moles of acetone top product = mass/Mr

= (9.285/58.08)Kmol/hr.

= 0.160 Kmol/hr.

Mass of IPA bottom product = Total mass of IPA fed to column –Mass of IPA in top product

= (1695.369-142.910) Kg/hr.

= 1552.459 Kg/hr.

No of moles of IPA bottom product = mass/Mr

= (1552.459/60.1) Kmol/hr.

= 25.831 Kmol/hr.
Mass of water bottom product = Total mass of water fed to column –Mass of water in top product

= (1255.829-15.865) Kg/hr.

= 1239.964 Kg/hr.

Heat Balances

Assumptions

 XD = 0.98
 The operating temperature of the column is 338.15K and some vapor of the azeotropic mixture is associated with top product
 IPA/Water azeotrope is 0.02 mol fraction in molar ratio of 0.73 : 0.27 respectively
 R actual = 1.6* Rmin
 The energy to Acetone distillation column is Condenser outlet energy less all Energy associated with hydrogen as all the
Hydrogen is flashed out.
 The bottom stream is at 393K.
Energy to the column = (741 524.712-136 982.213) KJ

Qin = 604 542.499 KJ

Top products are at 338K and is a vapor product.

Energy associated with the stream = Total latent heats of vaporization for all species in the stream + integration of sensible heat
supplied to Acetone from datum temperature of 298.15K
 BT 2 CT 3 DT 4 323
Qv = ∑ Hv + Mi [AT+ + + ]
2 3 4 298.15

 The masses of species in top product are from the mass balances
 The operating temperature of the column is 338.15K and some vapor of the azeotropic mixture is formed though it is below
the normal boiling point. Hence no sensible heats are calculated for IPA and water But only Latent heats of vaporization

Qv = 5*106 KJ/hr.

The Minimum reflux for the condenser is calculated using the Underwood equation

Rmin = ((((1/ αab)* (((XD/Xf) – ((αab*(1 – XD)/ (1 – Xf))))

Where αab = Ka/Kb

We know Log Pi* = A-(B / CT) where A, B, C are constants and T is temperature in Kelvins

Ki = Pi*/PT

PT = 760 mmHg
Therefore Rmin = (((1/2.794)*(((0.98/0.620) – ((2.794*(1-0.98)/ (1-0.62))))

= 0.7989

R actual = 1.6*0.7989

= 1.2783

We know V= L+D

And R= L/D

Solving the above two equations simultaneously

L= RD

V = RD+D

V=D(R+1)

D=V/(R+1)

= 162.962/ (1+1.2783) Kmol/hr.

= 71.529Kmol/hr.

Therefore L = (1.2783*71.529) Kmol/hr.

 = 91.433 Kmol/hr.

Mass of acetone in Distillate = no of moles of acetone * Mr

= (0.98* D*Mr) Kg/hr.

= (0.98*71.529*58.08) Kg/hr.

= 4071.314 Kg/hr.

Mass of IPA = (0.02*.73*71.579*60.1) Kg/hr.

= 62.764 Kg/hr.

Mass of water = (0.02*.27*71.579*18) Kg/hr.

= 6.953 Kg/hr.

Masses of species in Liquid flow to the column are found by subtraction of distillate masses from Top product masses

BT 2 CT 3 DT 4 323
QD = Mi [AT+ + + ]
2 3 4 298.15

=217 665.455 KJ/hr.

BT 2 CT 3 DT 4 323
QL = Mi [AT+ + + ]
2 3 4 298.15
 = 278 232.126 KJ/hr.

From Qv = QC + QD + QL

QC = Qv – (QD + QL)

= ((5*106 – (278 232.126+217 665.455)) KJ/hr.

= 1538495.8KJ/hr.

 The bottom species masses were found by subtraction of masses in top product stream from those fed as presented under the
mass balance section.

BT 2 CT 3 DT 4 39 3
Enthalpy associated with bottom stream is Qb = Mi [AT+ + + ]
2 3 4 298.15

= 404 506 KJ/hr.

From Qin +QR = QC + Qb +Qd

QR = QC + Qb + Qd– (Qin)
= ((1538495.8+404 506+217 665.455)-604 542.499)) KJ/hr.
= 5014102.894 KJ/hr.