Distillation

NA Zubir, Dr
Outline
1. Physical concept of distillation

2. Vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE)

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3. Relative volatility

4. Single stage distillation (Flash & Batch)

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 Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students
should be able to:

i. Apply separation process principles of

unit operation in solving
chemical/environmental engineering
problems (C3).
ii. Explain the solutions of complex
chemical/environmental engineering
problems using separation process
principles (C6).
iii. Explain the solutions of complex
chemical/environment engineering
problem using the principles of
separation process design (C6).

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 Course Learning
Outcomes
Students should be able to:

i. Explain the concept of distillation, VLE,

relative volatility, single stage &
continuous distillation.
ii. Calculate the equilibrium compositions
and mass flowrates of the outlet
streams, no of stages, reflux ratio of
distillation column for given problems.
iii. Explain the solutions of complex
chemical/environmental engineering
problems using separation process
principles (i.e. distillation).

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Physical concept of Distillation

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Physical concept of Distillation

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6
Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium (VLE)
1. Phase rule: F = C – P + 2
where, F = Degree of Freedom
C = Component
P = Phase
2. Roults’s law:
𝑝1 = 𝑃1 𝑥1
where, 𝑝1 = partial pressure of comp. 1
𝑃1 = vapor pressure of comp. 1
𝑥1 = mole fraction of 1 in liquid
3. Dalton’s law:
𝑝1 + 𝑝2 = 𝑃𝑇 ; 𝑝1 = 𝑦1 𝑃𝑇
where, 𝑝2 = partial pressure of comp. 2
𝑃𝑇 = Operating pressure
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𝑦1 = mole fraction of A in vapor
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VLE: Boiling Point diagram

x1 y1 T (°C)
1.0000 1.0000 69.84
0.8596 0.9247 72
0.7378 0.8484 74
0.6233 0.7656 76
0.5156 0.6759 78
0.4142 0.5789 80
0.3184 0.4742 82
0.2280 0.3614 84
0.1424 0.2401 86
0.0613 0.1098 88
0.0000 0.0000 89.58
Boiling point diagram for binary system of
acetonitrile(1)/nitromethane(2) at 70 kPa total pressure.
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VLE: Boiling Point diagram

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VLE: equilibrium diagram

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Relative volatility
To numerically quantify the feasibility of separation through
Distillation.
𝑦1 /𝑥1
𝛼1/2 =
𝑦2 /𝑥2
If the system obey Raoults’s law;
𝑝1 = 𝑃1 𝑥1 𝑝1 = 𝑦1 𝑃𝑇
The , becomes:-
𝑦1 /𝑥1 𝑃1
𝛼1/2 = =
𝑦2 /𝑥2 𝑃2
where, 𝑃1 = vapor pressure of comp. 1
𝑃2 = vapor pressure of comp. 2 Equilibrium diagram of
Note: acetonitrile(1)/nitromethane(2) at 70 kPa
When the value of  is > 1, a separation is feasible Q1:
▪ Calculate the  of this binary system?
▪ Does this mixture is able to be
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Single stage distillation (Flash)
V
y1*
y2*
▪ A single stage process because it has only one
vaporization stage (means one liquid phase is
exposed to one vapor phase.
F
xF1
▪ Flash distillation is performed by vaporizing a
xF2 definite fraction of a liquid mixture in such a
L way that the evolved vapor is in equilibrium
x1*
with the residual liquid.
x2*

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Single stage distillation (Flash)
V How to determine the outlet streams’ composition?
y1*
y2* Consider a binary liquid mixture which is to be separated by a
flash distillation process as shown in this figure.
Overall mass b/ce at boundary:
𝐹 =𝑉+𝐿 (eq. 1)
F
xF1 Component b/ce (comp. 1) at boundary:
xF2 L 𝐹𝑥𝐹1 = 𝑉𝑦1∗ + 𝐿𝑥1∗ (eq. 2)
x1*
x2* 𝑣 𝐿
𝑥𝐹1 = 𝑦1∗ + 𝑥1∗ (eq. 2a)
𝐹 𝐹
Note:
* denotes at states of equilibrium Assign f to denote fraction of feed which has been vaporise:
𝑉
𝑓= (eq. 3)
𝐹

Substituting f in (eq. 1):

𝐿
=𝑓−1 (eq. 4)
𝐹

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Single stage distillation (Flash)
V Substituting (eq. 4) in (eq. 2a):
y1*
y2* 𝑥𝐹1 = 𝑓𝑦1∗ + (1 − 𝑓)𝑥1∗

(𝑓−1) 𝑥𝐹1
𝑦1∗ = 𝑥1∗ + (eq. 5)
𝑓 𝑓

F
xF1
xF2 L
x1*
x2*
Note:
* denotes at states of equilibrium

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 Example 1
T(K) x1 y1
A liquid mixture containing 70 mol% n-heptane (A)
371.6 1 1 and 30 mol% n-octane at 30oC is to be continuously
flash – vaporized at the standard atmospheric
374 0.825 0.92 pressure to vaporize 60 mol% of the feed. The
equilibrium data for n-heptane/n-octane mixture
377 0.647 0.784 at 1 atm is given as follows.
380 0.504 0.669
▪ Calculate the flowrate of each outlet stream as
383 0.387 0.558 well it’s composition.
386 0.288 0.449
▪ Determine the operating temperature of the
389 0.204 0.342 column.
392 0.132 0.235
395 0.068 0.132
398.2 0 0
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 Q&A

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 Thank You

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