SAMPLE PROBLEM #11:

A distillation column with a total condenser and partial

reboiler is separating an ethanol-water mixture(ETOH + H2O).
The feed is 20 mol% ethanol and a bottoms composition of 2
mol % ethanol are desired. The external reflux ratio is 5/3.
The reflux is returned as a saturated liquid.

Find the optimum feed plate location and the

total number of equilibrium stages required. Pressure is
101.325 kPa.

Solve this problem by graphical method :

Ponchon-Savarit method
SOLUTION

DETERMINE??? C The reflux is returned

Feed plate location as a saturated liquid
No. of stages (n)
D
Setting up first the
1 atm Txhe
D = 80% mol
distillate
composition
(ETOH)is:
diagram for Distillation
Lo 5
F R= =
D 3

xFG=iven
20%themolfollowing
(ETOH)
xocompositions
= 1000 kmols and / hr
conditions of the
Tfeed
= 26.7oC B
R TXhe
B = 2% mol
bottoms
(ETOH)is:
composition
Equilibrium Data for ethanol-water system at 1 atm
(mole fraction ethanol)
X Y
0 0 Using the given Data, we can now
0.00792 0.08507 illustrate the relationship of water and
0.02018 0.19146 ethanol using Ponchon-Savarit and
0.04167 0.30361 MacCabe-Thiele method.
0.08911 0.42733
Liquid Vapor
0.14362 0.49293
X Enthalpy Enthalpy
0.2069 0.53472
  (Btu/mol mixture) (Btu/mol mixture)
0.28125 0.56849
0 3241.8 20700
0.36986 0.60131
0.04167 3062.83 20738.3
0.47727 0.64375
0.61017 0.69935 0.14362 2972.87 20766.1
0.77885 0.80219 0.28125 3180.04 20803.5
0.85976 0.86404 0.47727 3484.5 20825.5
0.90377 0.9015 0.77885 3845.42 20938.8
0.95043 0.94564 1 4094 21045
1 1
First, making use of Ponchon-Savarit Graphical
method in determining the feed plate location and
the number of stages.
ΔD
Using the
Lo reflux
5 Ratio
ΔD we
- Hcan
R= = =
now determine
D 3 ΔD H - h
Lo
Lo 5 ΔD - 21,000
= =
H D 3 21,000- 2000
V

D
ΔD = 52,666.67 Btu/ lbmol
h
Lo
Therefore from the graph we can now determine
the feed plate location and the no of equilibrium
stages:

Feed plate location = 12.7

Total no of equilibrium stages = 14.1
 ΔD

No. of Tie line:

V Saturated Vapor Curve (H)

14.1
14
13
12
11
10
1
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2

L Saturated Liquid Curve (h)

F
0

ΔB

XB XF XD