PMO470S 1

SEPARATION PROCESSES IV M AZIZ

(PMO470S)

TUTORIAL 1 - (Multicomponent Distillation)

Question 1:
Shortcut Design of Multicomponent Distillation Tower. A feed of part liquid and part
vapor (q = 30) at 405.4 kPa is fed at the rate of 1000 mol/h to a distillation tower. The
overall composition of the feed is n-butane (XA = 0.35), n-pentane (XB = 0.3), n-hexane
(XC =0.2) and n-heptane (XD = 0.15). The feed is distilled so that 97% of the n-pentane is
recovered in the distillate and 85% of the n-hexane in the bottoms. Calculate the following:

a. Amount and composition of products and top and bottom tower temperatures.
b. Number of stages at total reflux and distribution of other components in the
products.
c. Minimum reflux ratio, number of stages at 1.2Rm , and feed tray location.

Question 2:
Shortcut Design Method for Distillation of Ternary Mixture. A liquid feed at its bubble
point is to be distilled in a tray tower to produce the distillate and bottoms as follows. Feed,
XAF = 0.047, XBF = 0.072, XCF = 0.881; distillate, XAD = 0.1260, XBD = 0.1913, XCD = 0.6827;
bottoms, XAW = 0, XBW = 0.001, XCW = 0.999. Average α values to use are ∝𝐴 = 4.19, ∝𝐵 =
1.58, ∝𝐶 = 1.00.

a. For a feed rate of 100 mol/h, calculate D and W, number of stages at total reflux,
and distribution (concentration) of A in the bottoms.
b. Calculate Rm and the number of stages at 1.25Rm.

M Aziz Separation – TUTORIAL