University of Santo Tomas

CHE 514L:
Faculty of Engineering
Chemical Engineering Laboratory II
Department of Chemical Engineering Pre-Lab Assignment

Name: Sison, Kelly Sheine O. Date:

Section: 5ChE-A Group No: 2 Instructor: Ma’am Mardie Pacia

Experiment 2A: Distillation

Using the spaces provided, answer the following questions:

1. Define the following terms in distillation: Entrainment, Dumping, Flooding, and Foaming.

Entrainment refers to the liquid carried by vapour up to the tray above and is again caused by
high vapour flow rates. It is detrimental because tray efficiency is reduced: lower volatile material is
carried to a plate holding liquid of higher volatility. It could also contaminate high purity distillate.
Excessive entrainment can lead to flooding.
Dumping is caused by low vapour flow. The pressure exerted by the vapour is insufficient to hold
up the liquid on the tray. Therefore, liquid starts to leak through perforations. Excessive weeping will
lead to dumping. That is the liquid on all trays will crash (dump) through to the base of the column (via a
domino effect) and the column will have to be re-started. Weeping is indicated by a sharp pressure drop
in the column and reduced separation efficiency.
Flooding is brought about by excessive vapour flow, causing liquid to be entrained in the vapour
up the column. The increased pressure from excessive vapour also backs up the liquid in the
downcomer, causing an increase in liquid holdup on the plate above. Depending on the degree of
flooding, the maximum capacity of the column may be severely reduced. Flooding is detected by sharp
increases in column differential pressure and significant decrease in separation efficiency.
Foaming refers to the expansion of liquid due to passage of vapour or gas. Although it provides
high interfacial liquid-vapour contact, excessive foaming often leads to liquid buildup on trays. In some
cases, foaming may be so bad that the foam mixes with liquid on the tray above. Whether foaming will
occur depends primarily on physical properties of the liquid mixtures, but is sometimes due to tray
designs and condition. Whatever the cause, separation efficiency is always reduced.

2. Differentiate Extractive distillation from Azeotropic distillation.

Azeotropic and extractive distillations are both methods of separating mixtures. Both of them
also use a certain separating solvent to help in the process. The main difference between the two is in
the process of separating the mixture. Azeotropic distillation forms an azeotrope right after combining
the separation solvent. This azeotrope can be a complicated way of separating the mixture because it
cannot be easily changed by just a simple distillation. In extractive distillation, a specific separation
solvent is used in every mixture that should not form an azeotrope. In this way, extractive distillation is a
better and easier method than the azeotropic distillation. But you need to bear in mind that if you have
a mixture with very different volatilities, then the most effective separation method would be the
azeotropic distillation.
3. Discuss other ways (analytical, graphical, or computer-aided) of determining the number of
theoretical stages in a distillation process aside from the McCabe-Thiele and Ponchon-Savarit method.

There are other ways to determine the number of theoretical stages one of which is through
computer aided design. It can be done using a software such as the Matrix Laboratory or MATLAB. The
methodology includes an initial step of defining the basic correlations between the input and output
variables. And then, identifying the step of forming the algorithm. Afterwards there is a crucial step of
developing a flowchart, writing the code and then testing to remove any errors.