One of the first things that 300 level students need to know about processes is the many

different ways in which we may operate a process.

There are three major classification of processes:

• Batch process
• Semi batch process and
• Continuous process
Batch process: in a batch process, material is placed in the vessel or system (reactor, mixer,
filter etc) at the start and (only) removed at the end, no material is exchanged with the
surroundings during the process. Batch process falls into the category of closed system.
Semi batch process: in a semi-batch process, all quantity of one reactant is initially put in the
reactor, and then other reactants are continuously fed and no leave, hence the system is an
unsteady state. Example: washing machine.
Continuous process: in a continuous process, material flows into and out of the process
during the entire duration. Example: distillation processes

Material balances are important first step when designing a new process or analysing an
existing one. They are used in industry to calculate mass flow rates of different streams
entering or leaving chemical or physical processes.
The General Balance Equation
Suppose salt solution is a component of both the inflow and outflow streams of a continuous
process unit shown below, these flow rates of the inflow and outflow are measured and found
to be different.

inflow Process unit outflow

Mass inflow + Generation - Mass outflow - Consumption = Accumulation

(enters through (produced within (Leave through (Consumed build up
system system system within within
boundary boundaries boundaries system system
kg/h) kg/h) kg/h) kg/h) kg/h

If there are no leaks and the measurements are correct, then the other possibilities that can
account for this difference are that salt solution is either being generated, consumed, or
accumulated within the unit
The general balance equation may be simplified according to the process at hand. For
example, by definition, the accumulation term for steady-state continuous process is zero.
Thus, the above equation becomes:
Input + generation = output + consumption

7 | P a g e C.Ugwu Alex Ekweme Federal University Ikwo, Abakaliki AE-FUNAI/2021

Procedure for Material Balance Calculations
In material balance problems, you will usually be given a description of a process, the values
of several process variables, and a list of quantities to be determined. In order to be trained
on using a systematic procedure to solve material balance problems, you are advised to follow
the steps summarized below:
1. Read and understand the problem statement
2. Draw and label the process flow chart (block diagram). When labelling, write the
values of known streams and assign symbols to unknown stream variables. Use the
minimum number possible of symbols.

3. Select a basis of calculation. This is usually the given stream amounts or flow rates, if
no given then assume an amount of a stream with known composition.

4. Write material balance equations. Note in here the maximum number of independent
equations you can write for each system is equal the number of species in the inflow
and outflow streams of the system. Also note to first write balances that involve the
fewest unknown variables.

5. Solve the equations derived in step 3 for the unknown quantities to be determined.
The examples below will illustrate the procedure of balances on physical processes:
EXAMPLE: 1
An aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide contains 20% NaOH by mass. It is desired to
produce an 8% NaOH solution by diluting a stream of the 20% solution with a stream of pure
water.
1. Calculate the ratios (g H2O/g feed solution) and (g product solution/g feed solution).
2. Determine the feed rates of 20% solution and diluting water needed to produce 2310
lbm/min of the 8% solution.
Solution
We could take a basis of 2310 lbm product/min, but for illustrative purposes and to have
neater numbers to work with let us choose a different basis and scale the final results.
Basis: 100 g Feed Solution
Draw and label the flowchart, remembering that the amount of the product stream is now
unknown.

100g

0.20g NAOH/g Q2 (g)

0.80g H2O/g 0.080g NAOH/g
0.920g H2O/g
Q1 (gH2O)

8 | P a g e C.Ugwu Alex Ekweme Federal University Ikwo, Abakaliki AE-FUNAI/2021

(Since the known stream amount is given in grams, it is convenient to label all unknown
amounts with this unit.)
There are two unknowns - Q1 and Q2 - and since there are two substances - NaOH and H2O -
in the input and output streams, two balances may be written to solve for them. The total
mass balance and the water balance involve both unknowns, but the NaOH balance involves
only one.
NaOH Balance
(gNaOH)𝑖𝑛 = (gNaOH)𝑜𝑢𝑡
(0.20)(100𝑔) = 0.080𝑄2
𝑄2 = 250𝑔
It is a good practice to write calculated variable values on the flowchart as soon as they are
known for ease of use in later calculations; at this point, 250 would therefore be written in
place of Q2 on the chart
Total Mass Balance
100 + 𝑄1 = 𝑄2
Where, Q2 = 250g
Therefore Q1 = 150g H2O Alex Ekweme Federal University Ikwo, Abakaliki
C.Ugwu AE-FUNAI/2021

The desired ratios can now be calculated:

Q1(gH2O)
= 1.5g H20 feed slution
100g feed solution

Q2(gH2O)
= 2.5g product feed slution
100g feed solution
The scale factor is obtained as the true flow rate of the product stream divided by the rate
calculated on the assumed basis.
2310𝑖𝑏𝑚/𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑖𝑏𝑚/𝑚𝑖𝑛
= 9.24
250𝑔 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 𝑔
Feed Solution Flow Rate
9.24ibm /min 924 ibm feed soltion
100g/ =
g min
Dilution Water Flow Rate
9.24ibm /min 1386 ibm H2O
150g/ =
g min
Check
(924 + 1386) lbm/min = 2310 lbm/min

9 | P a g e C.Ugwu Alex Ekweme Federal University Ikwo, Abakaliki AE-FUNAI/2021

Take Home 01;
Air 0.995
Air Water 0.005
Water (100%) D (kg)
W (kg) 1.00 Condenser Distillate
A (Kg) (3) Acetone 0.99
Water 0.01
1.00
Absorber Distillation
Column column
(2) B (kg)
(1) Bottom
G = 1400 Acetone 0.04
kg/hr Water 0.96
Entering gas 1.00
Air 0.95 F(kg) Acetone 0.19
Acetone 0.03 Water 0.81
Water 0.02 1.00
1.00

Calculate W, F, A, B and D from the diagram above.

For a variety of reason is not typical that a process runs smoothly that materials enters the
system, goes through each process unit once, and your product is on the first try. For this
reason, there are a few ‘special’ types of stream that should be mentioned.
I. Recycle stream
II. Bypass stream and
III. Purge stream
Recycle stream: A recycle stream is one where the portion of the outlet of a process unit is
combined with fresh feed and sent into the same unit again
P2

F1 P1
reactor separator

There are several reasons one might employ a recycle stream

• Recovery of catalyst
• Increase conversion of reactant to product
• Dilution of a process stream
• Re-use of a working fluid (lubricant or refrigerator)

10 | P a g e C.Ugwu Alex Ekweme Federal University Ikwo, Abakaliki AE-FUNAI/2021

Bypass stream: A bypass stream is one where portion of inlet to a process unit is split from
the feed and instead of entering the process is combined with the outlet from that process.

P
F unit

This practice is far less common than recycle, but may use if your ultimate goal is a material
property “in between” untreated reactant and the process outlet product
Purge stream: A purge stream is one where a portion of recycle stream is removed from the
system in order to avoid accumulation of undesired material in a recycle system

reactor

recycle purge
This is common with multi-phase systems where only one phase is either removed or recycled
(i.e. if one recycles catalyst pellets, but adds “make-up” fresh catalyst a purge will be needed
to discard some “spent” catalyst)
Take Home 02;
A distillation column separates 10,000 kg/hr of a mixture containing equal mass of benzene
and toluene. The product D recovered from the condenser at the top of the column contains
95% benzene, and the bottom W from the column contains 96% toluene.

The vapor V entering the condenser from the top of the column is 8000 kg/hr. A portion of
the product from the condenser is returned to the column as reflux R, and the rest is
withdrawn as the final product D. Assume that V, R, and D are identical in composition since
V is condensed completely.

Find the ratio of the amount refluxed R to the product withdrawn D.

V=8000 kg/hr

0.95kg B/kg C
0.05kg T/kg V=8000kg/hr

10,000kg/hr
Distillation R D
column 0.95kg B/kg S 0.95kg B/kg
0.50kg B/kg 0.05kg T/kg 0.05kg T/kg
0.50kg T/kg
W
0.04kg B/kg
0.96kg T/kg

11 | P a g e C.Ugwu Alex Ekweme Federal University Ikwo, Abakaliki AE-FUNAI/2021