10/29/2020

SEPARATION PROCESSES
Lecture 4

FLASH DISTILLATION

Dr. Ibrahim Suleiman

INTRODUCTION

Flash distillation is
used on a large scale in
petroleum refining, in
which petroleum
fractions are heated in
pipe stills and the
heated fluid flashed
into overhead vapor
and residual-liquid
streams, each
containing many
components.

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FLASH DISTILLATION OF A BINARY

MIXTURE – GRAPHICAL APPROACH
Total mass balance:
𝐹 =𝑉+𝐿 →𝐿 =𝐹−𝑉

Component mass balance

𝐹 . 𝑧 = 𝑉. 𝑦 + 𝐿. 𝑥

Then
𝐹 𝑧 −𝑥 =𝑉 𝑦 −𝑥
Rearrange the equation
𝑉 𝑧 −𝑥
=
𝐹 𝑦 −𝑥

FLASH DISTILLATION OF A BINARY

MIXTURE – GRAPHICAL APPROACH
Define the fraction 𝑓
𝑀𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑣𝑎𝑝𝑜𝑟
𝑓=
𝑀𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑑
Thus
𝑉 𝑧 −𝑥
= =𝑓
𝐹 𝑦 −𝑥
Now
𝐹 . 𝑧 = 𝑉 . 𝑦 + 𝐿. 𝑥
Divide by V and rearrange the equation
𝐹 𝐿 𝐹 𝐹−𝑉
𝑦 = .𝑧 − .𝑥 = .𝑧 − .𝑥
𝑉 𝑉 𝑉 𝑉
Then
1 1
𝑦 = .𝑧 − −1 .𝑥
𝑓 𝑓
This equatio n shows a linear relation between y and x with a slope of
− −1

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FLASH DISTILLATION OF A BINARY

MIXTURE – GRAPHICAL APPROACH
The value of the fraction 𝑓
indicates the phase of the feed
stream

𝑓 > 1.0 superheated vapor

𝑓 = 1.0 saturated vapor
0 < 𝑓 < 1.0 saturated vapor
liquid mixture
𝑓 = 0 saturated liquid
𝑓 < 0 subcooled liquid

FLASH DISTILLATION OF A BINARY

MIXTURE – GRAPHICAL APPROACH
Using the mass balance equation
𝐹 =𝑉+𝐿 →𝑉 =𝐹−𝐿
And the component mass balance
𝐹 . 𝑧 = 𝑉. 𝑦 + 𝐿. 𝑥 = (𝐹 − 𝐿). 𝑦 + 𝐿. 𝑥

Then
𝐹 (𝑧 − 𝑦 ) = 𝐿(𝑥 − 𝑦 )
Therefore
𝐿 (𝑧 − 𝑦 )
= =𝑞 =1−𝑓
𝐹 (𝑥 − 𝑦 )

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FLASH DISTILLATION OF A BINARY

MIXTURE – GRAPHICAL APPROACH
The feed type can be characterized by the value of 𝑞.
𝑞>1 Subcooled feed
𝑞=1 Saturated liquid (Bubble point)
0 < 𝑞 < 1 vapor-liquid mixture
𝑞=0 saturated vapor (Dew point)
𝑞<0 superheated vapor

EXAMPLE

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SOLUTION

THE END

Q&A