seni OeNA Equilibrium flash calculations quickly computed on PC A. K. Coker | Results are obtained much | which are time consuming, Davy Energy & | faster than with provicusly | tedious, and subject to errorit Environmental Lid. | published programs.’ performed manually. Previ- Cleveland, UK. | "Flash vaporization calcula- | ous calculation procedures, tions involving mulicompon- | invalved the use of program Equlixium flash calcula- | ent mixtures are essenial to | mable calculators which, with tions can be computed quick: | the design and successful | the growing use of personal ly by an Interactve Fortran | operation of many processes. | compulers, are becoming ob- program developed for per- | These calculations are often | solete Sonal computers. The pro | required to determine the | — Mulicomponent flash (iso- {gram determines the equili- | condition of the feed to a | thermal and adiabatic) com- lum separation of a stream | ‘factionation column or to de~ | putations are incorporated as for multcomponent mixtures | termine the flow of vapor | part of overall process simu- in ol ga8, and chemical pro: | from a rebiler or condenser. | lation and equipment design. cesses, resulting ina liqud- | Flash calculations often in- | However, single-stage flash \apor equillrium mizure. | volve taand-eror solutions | fractionation processes are also employed to. ablain a 0.1 | separation of the ight com 5 ge ners in @ feed and as a Continuous equilibrium flash fractionation eeiinary step before a Mutticomponent fractionation column, such as crude dist- lation. Table 1 lists ways of pro- ducing two-phase mixes from 2 single phase at appro- priate conditone. Tho. ast Process in the table typifies the wellhead separation that takes place in anol fed, tis termed @ flash process be- ‘cause vapor forms as aresult of rapidly dropping the pres- sure. Int tigi flow at, F, moter Moe fraston,m, Hester o produce ear stated id Fundamentals To carry out an appropriate flash cakulation, the pres- sure, P, and the temperature, T, must be known. I the val- as of P and Tin the separat- ing vessel are fixed, the value Nomenclature of P must not be so high that two phases cannot exist at guid rato, 1, molest EF = Congas ‘any value of T. K° = iol fash constant foreach conponert nro fod arean | Hoa Tie outside of ‘a ell et ernps' i eta pace E = Toi ies of au pe nce tho bubble point and. dow TN’ = Ne facton of conponen th fou seam point range corresponding to 21 NoRootrZomeorent ine ood even P. For a valid two-phase B= Ligure (Uv rato (taut vabe of = 10) qulrium calculation, the = $5ih ie ec nent atone following relationship must be Y= [Bil rls of pmponen inte vapor pase satisied: YS 1G Petey Psat ne Nu nase 3) Ns fasten o compere in he weber anese Top < Ta < TopTable 1 Ways to produce two-phase mixture ‘etion to proses two-phase mics ‘ck, possi ate inal comprossion Exe tough a ah or anengn Het to actiove parte vapor eshte fesse trough ave, ose ‘where: Tap is the bubble point . temperature, T, is the speci- f= 2 Km (1) fied temperature, and Tuy is o the dew point temperature. The existence of a valid | Dew point two-phase flash can be veri- el fied with the design equa- | {, - % Yk, @ tions for the bubble dew point, and equilbrium | Table 2 illustrates the ata calcuiated at the speci- | phase condition using the liq- fied pressure and tempora- | uid-vapor data associated ture. with the specified pressure The design equations for | and temperature. the bubble and dew points | From Table 2, the condi- are: Bubble point: Nine-component mixture (Example 1) outpet tion for a valid two-phase ‘equilibrium flash is (see box for nomenclature) Fold sream data Equilibrium flash ‘Table 2 criteria h= & Kn>10 @) fe = mK > 1.0 (4) Feed analyses in terms of ‘component concentrations are normally not available for ‘complex hydrocarbon. mix- tures with a final boing point ‘more than about 38°C. (e.g., ‘n-pentane) unless such a feed is broken down into | pseudo components (narrow Table 9 ‘Component Number smolesie cone 4 aie 2 ies 3 2318 i ‘Se 5 ane é tre E 26 3 a : 4 Inout but fash temperate, “7 ~ Input fash prose, pa? yo Input number of coranonts? feed and tgatonum ofeach component? 27520 7.2. inpa 1 Nullconpenontequltrum fash caouaon at 90.0" F. and 370.0 psi Totals o Nes Feed, auis Molesiir Mole ac. _Meles/iv Mole frac. _Molosr 2ysa000 0278 «3883590072 fosso0 Ges aang Oa 2b1e000 Game aenaer © O70 Soro osa “agar Game 17igo00 O72 saabaet Ora ‘treo ots “4eh0e1 8600 216.000 Gee © 2osaes © 0 os ‘rom 008 “Agate «Boas “000.000 ‘Ser Oo! 10900.000 1.000 5,418.00 1.000 1p yeu want orminate the program? Yes | boiling fractions). This en- ables the mole traction and equilibrium constant, K, to be estimated and, consequently, flash calculation of the mix: ture can be carried out A continuous equilbrium flash fractionation process is, shown in Fig. 1. Effient techriques for the solution of the trial-and-error calculations necessary in ‘mutticomponent flash compu: tations are given by Smith, Hengscbook, King, and Of 5. However, the iterate Convergonce. method Test suggested by Olver, and lat- fer modifed by Kostecke, is employed in the program.’ 2 Flash calculation equations The equations used in the program for multicomponent librium flash calculations & nik <1 all iquig(5) nik <1 all vapor(6) C= IM(K—1)(R+ TY (K+R) ” where: Rl = the liquid-vapor (UN) ratio. The now LIV ratio for each iterative calculation, F’, is de- termined from: = (FR ~ EIR + 1) + ER + 1) ®) Where the constants E and F are determined from: E=-26 ® F= % (ym (10) ‘The computation then de-termines_whether |E|_ « 0.001. I Elis not less than sabe 0.001, R is set equal to R’ je ic and tle cacuistons of Equa | GAS liquefaction (Example 2) tions 7,8, 9, and 10 are as a repeated until |E) ~ 0.001. Eecerd Once || < 0.001, the cal- umber snot ation _ Sona K culation proceeds to Equa- : ages a oa tions 11 and 12: 2 baer B70 : Baier Bae L=MANK +R) (1) | 2 Soe S38 é Sour ae MeM—b (12) é Som = Sam 3 ones = So007 ‘The mole fractions of com- ponents in tho food and the top 3 liquid and vapor phases are Ip ash temperate? evaluated as follows: Ut weber cis = Input fod and eal K of each component? 1.2. 0.90, a Bar Sh nom SM (13) ia 0 8 oom £7 ose i 38 bors af aoe wt & (14) 24 0.0007 utput Miatlsomponertaquitism fash calculation at 200" F, 2nd 6000 pst va f i i f Bvt (16) The program | eer ‘The Fortran program de- | rome sooo 1000 sonst 1000 veloped forthe fash caloula- veloped! forthe Hash calOU | po you wal o emirate he pga? Yeuio can bo run on IBM or IBM Compatible personal comput- | program, and the program | The first example is a 9- | misturo at equloqum conci- fre wih the MS DOS operal- | Gan be operated ether rom a | component stil product accs- | tons of 100 psia and. 160° ing system. The program is | floppy diskette or it can be | mulator stream that is com- | F.”° Table 6 gives the feed bavod. on the vapor-iquid | loaded onto a hard disk. | pressed. to 370. psia and | stream Gata and results. ‘equilibrium relationships giv- To operate the program, | cooled to 90° F.* The pro- fn in handbooks avaiable | simply log onto the appropr- | gram is used to determine | Edltor’s note: OGY sub- ffom the Ges Provessors | ate’ rive and type “FLA. | the amount of fquid and va- | scrbers may obtain a ee Supplors Associaton, Tulsa, | SH.EXE” or “FLASH”. If | por produced at these cond | copy ofthe complete operat. and other literature. printed results are required, | tions. Feed stream data and | ing program on diskette by The program will handle | simply press the PriSc key on | the program's results are | sending a blank, 6% in. Hop- ‘ash calculations with feed | the keyboard. shown in Table 3. py diskette, iormatted to MS streams containing up 10 15 | The program is not appi- | The second example | DOS, and a self~addressed, ‘components. As an added | cable to an adiabatic flash | flashes a feed stream to a | postage-paid or stamped re- feature, the calculation will | process when the feed | natural gas liquotaction plant. | tum diskette mailer to: Refin- check the feed composition | stream is at a higher pres- | The feed is flashed at 600 | ing/Petrochemical Editor, Oil at fiash conditions for dew | sure than the flash pressure, | psia and 20°F The program | & Gas Joumal, P.O. Box point and bubble point (i.e., | and the heat for vaporization | determines the flow rates of | 7947, Houston, TX, U.S.A, Whether the feed is elther all | is provided by the enthalpy of | the liquid and vapor streams | 77257. vapor or all liquid), the feed. In this situation, the | at a feed flowrate of 1,000 | Subscribers outside of the These checks are per- | flash temperature will be un- | moles/h. US. send the diskette and formed before the flash cal- | known and must be obtained | Feed stream data and the | return mailer without return culations are started. If the | by tial and error. pprogram’s results are shown | postage to the same ad- feed is above the dew point | A temperature must be | in Table 4. dress. This offer will expire fr below the bubble point, an | found at which both the mate- | 12-component mixture is | Mar. 31, 199. ‘appropriate message is dis- | rial and energy balances are | flashed at 860 psia and —65" played on the screen. A de- | satisfied. F. for the third example. Acknowledgment ‘aull value for R (LV ratio) Feed stream data and results | _ The author thanks Dr. C. J 1 is incorporated in the pro Examples | are shown in Table 5. Mumford, senior lecturer, AS- gram to start the iterative | Fourexamples demonstrate | — Finally, the fourth example | ton University, UK. for the process. Report-quelity out: | the use of the program and | determines the equilibrium | review of this work, and the puts are generated by the | the results computed by ‘separation of a S-component | management of H&G Engi-Twelve-component mixture (Example 3) Feed sroam data Table 6 Food Equitbeum umber ‘Name __moloshr __coatant S 1 N 12g 2are a 2 caton dinite 120 Ota § Mebane 43962449 i inane ise (Oa 5 oe = O18 8 ‘Sobutane (ase z neutne ears 8 opontano (Dos 3 ingen 13 os to here Meets it rep 8 ocor95 2 reeene 30 (Gages out Input fash temoeatue, 7 5 Input sah prose, pa? aso Input number of compan? i Ip food and eauttxum K ofeach componant? 1201.0 2674 200 sis 4.3020 440 Sigeo 0948 20860 Oe 200 aso 00 Gara 220 O0173 ia 80183 1120 9.0815, a0” oeras ee sn9 Gocose Tutiecrnponent aquirium fash ealsuton st —65.0°F. and 8500 ia cer see te SS Sui wage om Kevalue __Molestiy Mole frac. _Melosinr Mole rac. Molesihr Mole fra. 3 2am 4201000 021 t2se28 ooo 1076178 oes 2 ots = “"230e0 © S000 S319 000 ‘aes 000 3 i gasoo0 © asi gowsors © Geet systauze © 9.00 4 aie —Sfovood © Ones Iom © Ore “Beant; © 9.000 3 Gite — Zogpoo —OuagTeatmns © tos ary Ba é uss © “zane © ome “anees§= cars «anaes © oot 5 Sosr Geto oonr Saaee>cat Seaie Sone 8 017 —Yaso0e © ane tazse5 ous Bast 2.00 § Soi —thso00 ous fasaes Gene 7am Smo 10 Goo = tigen © bone THozen coe [7s 9000 " Gon —“gaooa © oor “exe59 aus 2401 9.000 2 Got = Soc tot sas ae bor 800 Totala 58204000 4.000 14556559 1.000 49687492 4.000 Bo you want to terminate the proaram? YesNa ‘Tobie 6 Equilibrium separation (Example 4) Food stream cata ‘Component a in Name _mow scion Sahat i & 2 329 3 rah aise 7B a eis s 13 i ee 8 pg 3 oh 8 oa tno, BS son tempore 2 1 Inc tach per, pon? 8 Inpro comsoneri? IER gs aa mort Son 29 23 18 Bie ret aren en 80 Fat 1200p aad ee eee = HOR RG, _Meahr Note. i a ci 38 ; is Es Be i oe oe 33 fate 3s 28s Do yeu want t trminate the program? YoeNo The author. . cater ‘4K. Colar is a process en ter th Day Enea & Imeal Lid) Suen on Tes, Dead, UK He prevousiy ‘naw HEG ening ie Bsgam, Uk T1987 e186, caer ha postdoctoral assijamen ih ‘hal Pealour Develo, of igi Li and ha wid 2 {iacmiogsinte RED aepat tmbet tive Cree Indust i ek (Cor reste BBs, Mo, and ab dyes noua eng eng for Aston User, Brnghr, UX, He ep fate maner of he neta 6 tity at Chama Enger, & rember of ACN, ang 2 erp fate manter of the rss fen af Chemica Err neering, Glasgow, U.K., tor ppormission to publish this ar- file. References Owen TH, “Hen caleulator gro- ‘am spcccn fash ealeuatens, Gai, Mara, 1880, 130. 2.Rostete, ST, “Spood of hand ‘alelator poorams can De ir proved,” OG, Aug 11, 1980, ‘or 3. Mansour, 5. “Flash Compute ‘vers ‘Cheinea Engineering, Aes, 27, 1978 4. Blasiwell, WW, Chemical Proo- ‘eee Design on’ © Progamnable acai, MeGra i ne, Now York, 1908. 5, Pen, FLH, ad Green, D., Chem cel" Engineers” Nencbook, Mocraw Hil In., Now York, ‘ea 6. Sith, 8D, Design of Eqslstum ‘Stage Procossea, MaGrow ll Ing, Now York, 1963. 7. Hongelabeck, FJ. Diettaion: naples and Design Proce: lures, Revolt Pabising. Co. {001 £8. King, Ca, Saparaton Proceases, Grau’ Hil Ino, Now: Yor, san 9. Olver, EO, Ditsionl Separation Proresses, John Wey & Sone, 4088, 10. Schacter, PLA, Handbook of ‘Separation Tocneiques or Cham kel Engrows, MoGran Hin, New York, 2nd Econ. 1088,