FLASH DISTILLATION

ENGR. CRIZALDY V. TUGADE

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES - MANILA
Flash Distillation

 Flash distillation can be considered one of the simplest

separation processes

 In this process, a pressurized feed stream, which is in

liquid phase, is passed through a throttling valve/nozzle
or an expansion valve/ nozzle (sometimes, the feed
stream may be passed through a heater before being
passed through the valve/nozzle, in order to pre-heat
the feed) connected to a tank or drum, which is called a
“flash” tank or drum.
Flash Distillation

Let’s denote the amount

(in mole) of:

• feed as F

• liquid fraction as 𝐿

• vapor fraction as 𝑉
Flash Distillation
The overall material (or mole) balance for
the system within the dashed boundary
can be written as follows:

Species balance (for species i) can also be

performed as follows:
 Flash Distillation
The energy balance for this system is

PLEASE NOTE: QFlash = 0, or nearly 0, as the flash

distillation is usually operated adiabatically

Thus, it can be reduced to

 Flash Distillation
To determine the amount of QH (or to determine
the size of the heater), an energy balance
around the heater is performed as follows

It should be noted that, if the feed contains only 2

components (i.e. the feed is a binary mixture), it
results in the following facts:

• Before being fed into the tank, the feed contains

only one phase (i.e. liquid phase) and

• After being fed into the tank, the feed is divided

into 2 phases (i.e. liquid and vapour phases)
 Flash Distillation: Equilibrium Data
In principle, equilibrium data of liquid
and vapour (generally called vapour-
liquid equilibrium: VLE) can be obtained
experimentally

Consider a chamber containing liquid

and vapour of a mixture (i.e. there are
more than one species) at specified
temperature (T ) and pressure (P) where
both phases are allowed to be settled,
meaning that the liquid and vapour
phases are in equilibrium with each other
(Figure 2.2)
 Flash Distillation: Equilibrium Data
Normally, the experiment can be
conducted in either constant pressure
(where the system’s temperature is
varied) or constant temperature (where
the pressure of the system is varied)
mode.

Note that, as this is a binary mixture, at any

specified temperature (or pressure), we
obtain the facts that 𝑋𝐴 + 𝑋𝐵 = 1 and 𝑦𝐴 +
𝑦𝐵 = 1
 Flash Distillation: Equilibrium Data
Table 2.1 illustrates the equilibrium data for
various temperatures of the system containing
ethanol (EtOH: E) and water (W) at the pressure
of 101.3 kPa (or 1 atm)

The VLE data in Table 2.1 can also be presented

graphically as
• a y-x diagram (McCabe-Thiele diagram)
(Figure 2.3)
• a Txy diagram (temperature-composition
diagram) (Figure 2.4)
• an enthalpy-composition diagram

Note that, if the experiment is carried out in a constant

temperature mode (where the pressure of the system is
varied), a Pxy diagram is obtained (instead of a Txy
diagram)
Flash Distillation: Equilibrium Data
 Flash Distillation: Equilibrium Data

Note that, in Figure 2.4,

• a solid line ( T - x ) is a
saturated liquid line

• a dashed line (T - y) is a
saturated vapour line

• there is an azeotrope in this

system at the point where
yETOH= xETOH= 0.8943
 Flash Distillation: Binary Solution
Let’s consider the flash distillation
system (see Figure 2.1);

the material balances of the

system within the dashed
boundary can be performed as
follows
Flash Distillation: Binary Solution

Let’s define
Flash Distillation: Binary Solution

𝐹 1
And noting that the term 𝑉 is, in fact, 𝑓 yields

And can also take the form:

Flash Distillation: Binary Solution
Note that Eqs. 2.6, 2.8, and 2.11 are,
in fact, equivalent to one another,
and they are the “operating
equations” for the flash tank, in
which
𝐹 1
And noting that the term 𝑉 is, in fact, 𝑓 yields

And can also take the form:

 Flash Distillation: Binary Solution
The intersection of the
equilibrium curve [see the y-x Equilibrium Data

diagram (Figure 2.3) on Page 13]

and the operating line is the Operating Line
solution (answer) of the material
balances (this plot is called
y-x line
“McCabe-Thiele diagram”) for
the flash distillation, as the
intersection of the equilibrium
line (curve) and the operating
line is the point where the system
(i.e. the flash tank) reaches the
equilibrium
 Flash Distillation: Binary Solution
Consider an ETOH-water system
wherein the

𝑉 2
=
𝐹 3

and 𝑧𝐸𝑇𝑂𝐻 = 0.40.

Solve for the composition of

ETOH in the L and V. Locate the
feed point.
Flash Distillation: Binary Solution
Flash Distillation: Binary Solution
 Flash Distillation: Binary Solution
In the case that an analytical
solution is desired, an equilibrium
curve must be translated into the
form of equation

For ideal systems (i.e., the gas phase

behaves as it is an ideal-gas mixture,
while the liquid phase can be
considered as an ideal liquid
solution), the equilibrium data
between 𝑥𝑖 and 𝑦𝑖 can be written in
the form of “relative volatility”.
 Flash Distillation: Binary Solution
Rearranging Eq. 2.17a, we have the equilibrium curve equation:

Please note that α may also be expressed as:

 Flash Distillation: Binary Solution
To obtain the analytical solution for the flash distillation, equate Eq.
2.21 with one of the operating-line equation

We now have the equation:

 Flash Distillation: Binary Solution
EXERCISE: Solve the same problem using analytical method.

Consider an ETOH-water system wherein the

𝑉 2
=
𝐹 3

and 𝑧𝐸𝑇𝑂𝐻 = 0.40.

Solve for the composition of ETOH in the L and V.

Flash Distillation: Multicomponent
From the ChE Thermodynamics II course,
for the system with more than 2
components, the equilibrium data can,
more conveniently, be presented in the
form of the following equation
(proposed by C.L. De Priester in 1953):

For light hydrocarbons, the value of 𝐾𝑖 of

each species can be obtained from the
graph (called the “K chart” – Figures 2.6 Note that same figure may be
found in Perry’s CHE Handbook in
and 2.7) prepared by De Priester when Figure 13-9.
the temperature and pressure of the
system are specified.
Flash Distillation: Multicomponent
Flash Distillation: Multicomponent
The meaning of 𝐾𝑖 on the K chart can be
described mathematically by the original
Raoult’s law and the modified Raoult’s law
as follows:
Flash Distillation: Multicomponent
Species balance equation Re-arranging, we have
for multicomponent flash
distillation

Substituting the value for K

By algebraic manipulation:
 Flash Distillation: Multicomponent
Solving equation for 𝑦𝑖 Since it is required that, at
equilibrium, σ 𝑥𝑖 = 1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 σ 𝑦𝑖 =
1, we obtain:

To solve for the value of L, the trial & error

technique must be employed such that the value
of L is guessed, and the corresponding value of
V is obtained from the fact that V = F - L.
Flash Distillation: Multicomponent
Sample Problem:

A flash chamber
operating at 50 oC (122
oF) and 200 kPa (29 psia)

is separating 1,000 kmol/h

of feed containing 30
mol% propane,10% n-
butane, and 15% n-
pentane, and 45% n-
hexane. Find the product
compositions
and flow rates Note that, 1, 2, 3, & 4 = propane, n-butane,
n-pentane, & n-hexane, respectively
 Flash Distillation: Multicomponent

At T = 50 oC (122 oF) and P = 200 kPa (29psia), the

value of 𝐾𝑖 read from the K chart of each species is
as follows

Note that, 1, 2, 3, & 4 = propane, n-butane,

n-pentane, & n-hexane, respectively
Flash Distillation: Multicomponent

1st assumption: L = 100.

Remember that 𝐹 = 𝑉 + 𝐿, 𝐹 = 1000 therefore 𝑉 = 900

The value of L can then be computed using Eq. 2.49 as

illustrated in the following Table:
Flash Distillation: Multicomponent

2nd assumption: L = 488.6.

Remember that 𝐹 = 𝑉 + 𝐿, 𝐹 = 1000 therefore 𝑉 = 511.4

The value of L can then be computed using Eq. 2.49 as

illustrated in the following Table:
Flash Distillation: Multicomponent

The composition of each species in each phase can, thus, be calculated as follows.
Flash Distillation: Multicomponent

The composition of each species in each phase can, thus, be calculated as follows.