Binary System Distillation

McCabe-Thiele Method
 TODAY’S AGENDA

• Binary System Distillation

– Governing equation

– Sequence of numerical solution

– What is graphical solution

– McCabe Thiele method

Binary System Phase Diagram
V
Va
po
ur
T ou
sC
ur Tdew
L+V ve
Liq
uid
ou
sC Tbubble
ur
ve
L

0% A 100% A
100%B
x,y 0%B
Temperature-Composition Diagram
THEORY OF FLASHING/DISTILLATION

y3
y1
T y2
x3
x1

x2

0% A 100% A
100%B
x,y 0%B
 What is a Distillation Colum??
V Condenser
N-1 Number y1
VN LN-1
yN xN-1 of stages???
N D
LN Lo
VN+1 Xo xD
xN
yN+1 Rectifying
N+1
VN+2 LN+1 Section Top Product
yN+2 xN+1
N+2 F
xF
Feed
N’+2
V’N+1 L’N+2 Reboiler
y’N+1 x’N+2 Stripping
N’+1 Section
L’N+1 V’
V’N
x’N+1 yr
y’N W
N’
V’N-1 L’N xW
y’N-1 x’N L’
N’-1 x’1 Bottom Product
 Distillation Calculations
We need to solve three types of equations:
• Material balance equations
• Energy balance equations
• Equilibrium relations

We can ignore energy balance equations (Lewis

Method) under the following conditions ...
 Conditions for applying Lewis method
V
1. Mechanism of mass transfer y1

between liquid and vapour is

L D
Equimolar, i.e. The molar flow Xo xD

rates of liquid and vapour in each V L

section is constant.
F
So V1=V2=....=Vn=V xF

L1=L2=....=Ln=L
and V’1=V’2=....=V’n V’ L’

V’
L’1=L’2=....=L’n=L’ yr
W
xW
NOTE: Dashed variables are of L’
bottom section x’1
 Conditions for applying Lewis method

2. Heat of mixing = ZERO

3. Heat losses = ZERO
4. Molar latent heats of vaporization of both
components is nearly equal.
 Please Note That ....
We calculate the Number of
Theoretical Stages “NTS” using
this technique, i.e. assuming
100% separation efficiency per
stage.

Number of Actual Stages “NAS”

is calculated from NTS by
efficiency equations like
𝑵𝑻𝑺
𝑵𝑨𝑺=
𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑬𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚
 Plate to Plate Calculations
For Top Section:
V1
V=L+D (1) y1

V.y2=L.x1 + D.xD (2)

From (1) and (2)
V
y1
𝑳 𝑫 L D
𝒚 𝟐= 𝒙 𝟏+ 𝒙 𝑫 L xo xD
𝑽 𝑽 V
y2
x1
𝑳 𝑫
𝒚 𝟐=
𝑳+ 𝑫
𝒙𝟏 +
𝑳+ 𝑫
𝒙𝑫 ÷𝑫 L

𝑳/ 𝑫 𝟏 x2

𝒚 𝟐= 𝒙 + 𝒙
𝑳 / 𝑫+𝟏 𝟏 𝑳 / 𝑫+𝟏 𝑫
And R=L/D
𝑹 𝟏
𝒚 𝟐= 𝒙 + 𝒙
𝑹 +𝟏 𝟏 𝑹+𝟏 𝑫
 Plate to Plate Calculations
For Top Section:
V1
For any stage “n” y1
𝑹 𝟏
𝒚 𝒏 +𝟏= 𝒙 + 𝒙
𝑹+𝟏 𝒏 𝑹 +𝟏 𝑫
Operating line equation of top
V
y1
L D
section is a straight line V
L xo xD
x1
equation y2

The equilibrium relation can L

x2

be: 𝒚𝒏 +𝟏
𝒙 𝒏+𝟏 =
𝒌𝒏 +𝟏
or any other equilibrium relation
 Plate to Plate Calculations
For Bottom Section: V’
y’m
L’=V’+W (1) L’
V’
x’m+1
L’.x’1=V’.y’r + W.xw (2) y’m

L’
From (1) and (2) x’m

𝑳′ 𝑾
𝒚 ′𝒓 = 𝒙′ + 𝒙
𝑽′ 𝟏 𝑽′ 𝑾
V’
yr
For any stage “m”:
𝑳′ 𝑾
𝒚 ′𝒎 = 𝒙 ′ 𝒎+ 𝟏+ 𝒙𝑾 L’
W
𝑽′ 𝑽′ X’1
xw
 Drawing a Straight line Equation
𝒚 =𝒂𝒙 + 𝒃
Using two points Using a point and a slope
calculate
y2  y1 
 a
y y
x2  x1 
assume
y2 y2

y1 y1

x2 x x2 x
x1 x1
 McCabe Thiele Method
Top section operating line:
𝑳 𝑫 y
𝒚 𝒏 +𝟏= 𝒙 𝒏+ 𝒙𝑫
𝑳+ 𝑫 𝑳+ 𝑫
𝑹 𝟏
𝒚 𝒏 +𝟏= 𝒙 + 𝒙
𝑹+𝟏 𝒏 𝑹 +𝟏 𝑫
To draw this line we need 2
points:
1. At xn=0 yn+1=xD/(1+R)
2. At xn=xD yn+1=xD
xD
R 1

XW XF x XD
 McCabe Thiele Method
Bottom section operating line:
𝑳′ 𝑾
𝒚 ′𝒎 = 𝒙 ′ 𝒎+ 𝟏+ 𝒙𝑾
𝑽′ 𝑽′
To draw this line we need 2
points:
1. At x’m+1=0 y’m=-WxD/V’
2. At x’ m+1=xW y’m=xW

- Wx W
XW XF XD
V'
 Finally
If both lines are drawn,
then only remains
counting the number of
b
stages as shown. a

In this case:
Top section:
NTS=6+a/b xD
R 1
Bottom Section:
NTS=Reboiler+1

XW XF XD
 Next Time isA

• More about McCabe Thiele method.

• Using Microsoft Excel to draw the McCabe
Thiele diagram

See you then 