Sample Problem #8:

A feed containing 38 wt % acetone and 62 wt % water is to be

sent at 250 kg/hr to an extraction column to recover the
acetone using 1,1,2-trichloroethane (C2H3Cl3), containing 1%
acetone, as the solvent.
We desire an aqueous product that contains 8% acetone.
(a) Find the minimum solvent flow rate.
(b) If the solvent flow rate is 1.2 times the minimum, find the
number of equilibrium stages required for this separation.
Given

V1 V2 Vn+1
yA = 0.01
1 2 n n+1

L0 L1 Ln
250 kg/h feed xAn= 0.08
xAo= 0.38 20°C, 1 atm
1.0

0.9

0.8

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3
1
0.2
0.9
0.1
0.8
0.0
0.7 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0

0.6

0.5 Δ
0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
From previous diagram, by similar triangles,

Vn 1 Vn 1 0.38  0.29
min    0.32
L0 250 0.29  0.01

min Vn1  80.36kg / h

actual Vn1  80.361.2  96.43kg / h
Vn 1 96.43 0.38  x A
actual    0.32
L0 250 x A  0.01
then

x A  0.277kg / h
1.0

0.9
0.8

0.7
0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3
1
0.2
0.9
0.1
0.8
0.0
0.7 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0

0.6

0.5

0.4
0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Number of
Stages = 4.8