Exercise for Lecture 6

A distillation column operating at 1 atm is to be designed for separating a binary mixture of A and B. The feed is 30 mass% A and the feed flow rate is 100 kg/hr of saturated liquid. A distillate composition of 90 mass% A and a bottoms composition of not more than 10 mass% A are desired. The values of HD and HB are 3390 and -770 kJ/kg, respectively. Using the Ponchon Savarit method, determine the number of ideal stages required to carry out the separation under these conditions. (Equilibrium and enthalpy data for the mixture at 1 atm pressure are given in the table). Note, HL refers to the enthalpy of the mixture at boiling point, HV refers to the enthalpy of the mixture at dew point.

T (oC) 110 105 101 98 96 95 92 88 84 82

xA 0

yA 0

HL (kJ/kg) 800 600 450 315 270 250 180 110 75 50

HV (kJ/kg) 2800 2700 2600 2510 2475 2450 2375 2300 2200 2125

0.09 0.33 0.18 0.59 0.26 0.73 0.3 0.4 0.55 0.7 0.8 0.77 0.85 0.9 0.94 0.96 0.32 0.79

81 80

0.9 1

0.98 1

30 25

2025 1900

Solution

H (kJ/kg)

Plot the enthalpy line for liquid at boiling point (from the x and corresponding HL values) and vapour at dew point (from the y and corresponding HV values). Plot points M (xB,HB) and N (xD,HD) on this graph. Connect these points with a straight line and mark point F on the graph.

3500

3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

-500

M
-1000
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 xA, yA 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

3500

Solution

3000 2500 2000 H (kJ/kg) 1500 1000 500 0 -500 -1000 0 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 yA 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 xA 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Plot the equilibrium data (yA vs xA) and x = y line on a graph directly below the previous enthalpy graph.

M
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 xA, yA 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

3500

Solution

3000 2500 2000 H (kJ/kg) 1500 1000 500 0 -500 -1000 0 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 yA 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 xA 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Beginning from the top of the column with xD, draw the operating line connecting point (xD,HDL) to point N. The point where this line crosses the dew point line indicates the vapour fraction and enthalpy of the vapour rising from the plate below, i.e. stage 1. The liquid on stage 1 is in equilibrium with the vapour on this stage. To find the liquid fraction, draw a vertical line down from y1 to meet the x = y line on the graph below. At the intersection draw a horizontal line to meet the equilibrium line. At the intersection draw a vertical line to meet the boiling point curve on the first graph. This gives x1, and a tie-line can join points x1 and y1.

M
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 xA, yA 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

3500

Solution

3000 2500 2000 H (kJ/kg) 1500 1000 500 0 -500 -1000 0 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 yA 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 xA 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Repeat the procedure for the next stage: draw the operating line connecting point (x1,H1L) to point N. The point where this line crosses the dew point line indicates the vapour fraction and enthalpy of the vapour rising from the plate below, i.e. stage 2. The liquid on stage 2 is in equilibrium with the vapour on this stage. To find the liquid fraction, draw a vertical line down from y2 to meet the x = y line on the graph below. At the intersection draw a horizontal line to meet the equilibrium line. At the intersection draw a vertical line to meet the boiling point curve on the first graph. This gives x2, and a tie-line can join points x2 and y2.

M
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 xA, yA 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

3500

Solution

3000 2500 2000 H (kJ/kg) 1500 1000 500 0 -500 -1000 0 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 yA 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 xA 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Repeat the procedure for the next stage: draw the operating line connecting point (x2,H2L) to point N. The point where this line crosses the dew point line indicates the vapour fraction and enthalpy of the vapour rising from the plate below, i.e. stage 3. The liquid on stage 3 is in equilibrium with the vapour on this stage. To find the liquid fraction, draw a vertical line down from y3 to meet the x = y line on the graph below. At the intersection draw a horizontal line to meet the equilibrium line. At the intersection draw a vertical line to meet the boiling point curve on the first graph. This gives x3, and a tie-line can join points x3 and y3.

M
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 xA, yA 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

3500

Solution

3000 2500 2000 H (kJ/kg) 1500 1000 500 0 -500 -1000 0 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 yA 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 xA 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Since the liquid fraction on stage 3 is smaller than that in the feed, this corresponds to the stripping section. Draw the operating line connecting point (x3,H3L) to point M. Extend this line to the dew point line. The point where this line crosses the dew point line indicates the vapour fraction and enthalpy of the vapour rising from the plate below, i.e. stage 4. To find the liquid fraction, draw a vertical line down from y4 to meet the x = y line on the graph below. At the intersection draw a horizontal line to meet the equilibrium line. At the intersection draw a vertical line to meet the boiling point curve on the first graph. This gives x4, and a tie-line can join points x4 and y4.

M
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 xA, yA 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

3500

Solution

3000 2500 2000 H (kJ/kg) 1500 1000 500 0 -500 -1000 0 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 yA 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 xA 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Repeat the procedure for the next stage: draw the operating line connecting point (x4,H4L) to point M. The point where this line crosses the dew point line indicates the vapour fraction and enthalpy of the vapour rising from the plate below, i.e. stage 5. The liquid on stage 5 is in equilibrium with the vapour on this stage. To find the liquid fraction, draw a vertical line down from y5 to meet the x = y line on the graph below. At the intersection draw a horizontal line to meet the equilibrium line. At the intersection draw a vertical line to meet the boiling point curve on the first graph. This gives x5, and a tie-line can join points x5 and y5.

M
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 xA, yA 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

3500

Solution

3000 2500 2000 H (kJ/kg) 1500 1000 500 0 -500 -1000 0 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 yA 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 xA 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Since the liquid fraction on stage 5 is smaller than that required in the bottom product, this stage (stage 5) is the final equilibrium stage required.

M
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 xA, yA 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1