LECTURE 5-1

Distillation Efficiencies
 Distillation Efficiencies

When the time of contact and degree of mixing on the tray are insufficient, the streams
will not be in equilibrium, the tray efficiency will not be 100%.

Thus, we must use actual trays than the theoretical number of trays determined by
calculation.

Three types of tray/plate efficiency used:

Overall tray efficiency, Eo

Murphree tray efficiency, Em
Point/local tray efficiency, Emp

Geankoplis, C.J. (2014). Transport Processes and Unit Operations to Transport Processes and Separation Process Principles (Includes Unit Operations), Fourth
Edition. Pearson New International Edition
 Types of Tray Efficiencies – Overall tray efficiency, Eo

EO is applied throughout the whole column, i.e. every tray is assumed to have the same efficiency.

The advantage is that it is simple to use, but it must be bear in mind that in actual practice, not all the
trays have the same efficiency.

The overall efficiency has been found to be a complex function of the following:

Geometry and design of the contacting trays

Flow rates and flow paths of vapour and liquid streams

Compositions and properties of vapour and liquid streams

The overall tray efficiency, EO is defined as:

number of ideal trays

Eo =
number of actual trays
Geankoplis, C.J. (2014). Transport Processes and Unit Operations to Transport Processes and Separation Process Principles (Includes Unit Operations), Fourth
Edition. Pearson New International Edition
 Types of Tray Efficiencies – Murphree tray efficiency, Em

The Murphree Tray Efficiency Em , is based on a semi-theoretical models that assumes that the
vapour between trays is well-mixed (uniform composition), the liquid in the downcomers is well-
mixed (uniform composition), and the liquid on the tray is well.

It is defined for each tray according to the separation achieved on each tray.

The Murphree tray efficiency is defined as:

yn − yn +1 yn = the average actual concentration of the mixed vapor leaving tray n

Em = * yn+1 = the average actual concentration of the mixed vapor entering tray n
yn − yn +1 yn* = the concentration of the vapor that equilibrium with the liquid concentration xn leaving the tray

Geankoplis, C.J. (2014). Transport Processes and Unit Operations to Transport Processes and Separation Process Principles (Includes Unit Operations), Fourth
Edition. Pearson New International Edition
 Types of Tray Efficiencies – Point tray efficiency, Emp

The concentration of the liquid leaving is the same as that on the tray. Therefore y’n = yn, y’n+1 = yn+1,
y’*n = y*n (the point efficiency is equals to the Murphree efficiency.

In large diameter columns, incomplete mixing of the liquid occurs on the tray. Some vapor will
contact the entering liquid, xn-1 which is richer in component A than xn. This will give a richer vapor at
this point.

Hence, the Murphree tray efficiency will be greater than the point efficiency.

The point tray efficiency is defined as:

y’n = concentration of vapor at a specific point in plate n

y −y ' '

Emp = n n +1 y’n+1 = concentration of vapor entering plate n at same point

y −y '*
n
'
n +1
y’n* = concentration of vapor that equilibrium with x’n at same point

Geankoplis, C.J. (2014). Transport Processes and Unit Operations to Transport Processes and Separation Process Principles (Includes Unit Operations), Fourth
Edition. Pearson New International Edition
 Relationship between Tray Efficiencies

The relationship between Emp and Em can be derived can be derived mathematically if the amount of
liquid mixing is specified together with the amount of vapor mixing.

When the Em is known, the Eo can be related to Em by several methods.

First is analytical method:

  mV 
log 1 + Em  − 1 
  L 
Eo =
 mV 
log 
 L 

The slope, m of the equilibrium line is constant as well as the slope, L/V of the operating line.

If the equilibrium and operating lines of the tower are not straight, a graphical method can be used to
determine the actual number of trays when Em is known.

Geankoplis, C.J. (2014). Transport Processes and Unit Operations to Transport Processes and Separation Process Principles (Includes Unit Operations), Fourth
Edition. Pearson New International Edition
 Relationship between Tray Efficiencies

Figure 11.5-2. Use of Murphree plate efficiency to determine actual number of trays.
Geankoplis, C.J. (2014). Transport Processes and Unit Operations to Transport Processes and Separation Process Principles (Includes Unit Operations), Fourth
Edition. Pearson New International Edition
REFERENCES

Geankoplis, C.J. (2014). Transport Processes and Unit

Operations to Transport Processes and Separation
Process Principles (Includes Unit Operations), Fourth
Edition. Pearson New International Edition.

Coulson, M. and Richardson, J.F. (1993).

Chemical Engineering: Unit Operations, Vol. 2,
4th Edition. Oxford: Pergamon Press