Question 1

Ethanol and methanol are separated in a continuous fractionating column. The saturated liquid feed to
the column contains 0.55 mole fraction of ethanol, to produce a distillate containing 0.90 mole fraction
of methanol and a residue containing 0.10 mole fraction of methanol. The aim is to withdraw 15% of the
feed stream as a side stream with 0.6 mole fraction of methanol. Determine the number of theoretical
plates required and the position of the plate from which the side stream should be withdrawn, if the feed
liquid is at its boiling point and a reflux ratio of 1.3 is used. Use the McCabe-Thiele method.

Equilibrium data for methanol:

x1 [mol/ y1 [mol/
mol] mol]
0 0
0.1 0.22
0.2 0.38
0.3 0.51
0.4 0.63
0.5 0.7
0.6 0.78
0.7 0.85
0.8 0.91
0.9 0.96
1 1
Solution
Basis: 𝐹 = 100 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙. ℎ−1

Overall mass balance: 𝐹 = 𝐷 + 𝑊 + 𝑆 = 100 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙. ℎ−1

Component balance (ethanol):

𝐹𝑧𝐹 = 𝐷𝑥𝐷 + 𝑊𝑥𝑊 + 𝑆𝑥𝑆

We know that 𝑆 = 0.15 ∙ 𝐹 and 𝑊 = 100 − 𝐷 − 𝑆 = 100 − 𝐷 − 0.15 ∙ 𝐹. Therefore

0.45ሺ100ሻ = 0.90𝐷 + 0.1𝑊 + 0.6 ∙ 0.15 ∙ 𝐹

0.45ሺ100ሻ= 0.90𝐷 + 0.10ሺ100 − 𝐷 − 0.15 ∙ 𝐹ሻ+ 0.6 ∙ 0.15 ∙ 100
45 = 0.90𝐷 + 10 − 0.10𝐷 − 1.5 + 9
0.80𝐷 = 27.5
𝐷 = 34.375 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙. ℎ−1
𝑊 = 50.625 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙. ℎ−1
𝑆 = 15 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙. ℎ−1
Rectifying section operating line (above the side stream):
𝐿 𝐷
𝑦𝑛+1 = 𝑥𝑛 + 𝑥𝐷
𝑉 𝑉
𝑅 𝑥𝐷
𝑦𝑛 +1 = 𝑥𝑛 +
𝑅+1 𝑅+1
𝐿
𝑅=
𝐷
∴ 𝐿 = 1.3 × 34.375 = 44.69 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙. ℎ−1

𝑉𝑛+1 = 𝐿𝑛 + 𝐷
𝑉𝑛+1 = 𝑉𝑛 = 𝑉 and 𝐿𝑛 = 𝐿

𝑉 =𝐿+𝐷
∴ 𝑉 = 44.69 + 34.375 = 79.06 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙. ℎ−1
Rectifying section operating line equation:
1.3 0.90
𝑦𝑛+1 = ∙ 𝑥𝑛 +
1.3 + 1 1.3 + 1

= 0.565𝑥𝑛 + 0.391
Side stream section operating line

𝐿𝑛 = 𝐿𝑆 + 𝑆
𝐿𝑛 = 𝐿
𝐿𝑆 = 𝐿𝑛 − 𝑆 = 𝐿 − 𝑆
𝐿𝑆 = 44.69 − 15

𝐿𝑆 = 29.69 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙. ℎ−1

𝑉𝑆+1 = 𝐿𝑆 + 𝑆 + 𝐷
𝑉𝑆+1 = 29.69 + 15 + 34.375

𝑉𝑆+1 = 79.06 𝑘𝑚𝑜𝑙. ℎ−1

𝐿𝑆 𝑥𝑆𝑆 𝑆 + 𝑥𝐷 𝐷
𝑦𝑆+1 = 𝑥𝑆 +
𝑉𝑆+1 𝑉𝑆+1
29.69 0.6 ∙ 15 + 0.9 ∙ 34.375
𝑦𝑆+1 = 𝑥𝑆 +
79.06 79.06
𝑦𝑆+1 = 0.338𝑥𝑆 + 0.505
Stripping section operating line

𝐿ത𝑥𝑚 = 𝑉ത𝑦𝑚 +1 + 𝑊𝑥𝑊

𝐿ത 𝑊
𝑦𝑚 +1 = 𝑥𝑚 − 𝑥𝑊
𝑉ത 𝑉ത
𝑉ത= 𝑉𝑆+1 = 𝑉
𝐿ത= 𝐹 + 𝐿𝑆
𝐹 + 𝐿𝑆 𝑊
𝑦𝑚 +1 = 𝑥𝑚 − 𝑥
𝑉𝑆+1 𝑉𝑆+1 𝑊
100 + 29.69 50.625
𝑦𝑚 +1 = 𝑥𝑚 − ∙ 0.1
79.06 79.06
𝑦𝑚 +1 = 1.6𝑥𝑚 − 0.064
.
 RECTIFYING SECTION
OPERATING LINE

SIDE STREAM
OPERATING LINE

STRIPPING SECTION Q-LINE

OPERATING LINE

13 theoretical plates are required and the side stream should be drawn from 5 th
tray from top of column.