Modeling of a distillation
column
Prof. Shushil Kumar
IIT Roorkee
Introduction
• Distillation is an important and widely used commercial process in the petroleum, chemical and
food industries as a physical separation or purification unit.
• Distillation columns are generally employed to separate two or more products that have
sufficiently different boiling points or relative volatility.
• In order to predict the dynamics of a distillation column, a mathematical model of the column is
needed.
Introduction
• Distillation is an equilibrium stage operation.
• In each stage of a column, a vapor and a liquid stream exist. Mass transfer occurs between the two phases. Vapor phase will be
rich in more volatile component while liquid phase will be rich in less volatile component.
• The vapor composition is generally different than the liquid composition. When these two compositions become same then it is
called constant boiling of azeotropic mixture.
• The two phases leaving a stage are said to be in physical equilibrium if :
1. Tvapor=Tliquid (Thermal equilibrium)
2. PV=PL (mechanical equilibrium)
3. Tendency of each component to escape from the liquid phase to the vapor phase is exactly equal to tendency to escape from the vapor
phase to the liquid phase. (Phase equilibrium)
Introduction
Introduction
• Total vs partial condenser
• Reflux ratio
• Desired:
Shortcut distillation
• The normal procedure for solving a typical multi-component distillation problem is to solve the
MESH (Material balance, Equilibrium, Summation and Heat) balance equations stage-by-stage.
• The primary purpose of the shortcut distillation is to allow users to perform a first pass estimate
on the performance requirements of a given system for a specified reflux ratio.
• The values gathered from the shortcut distillation can be used to assist the user when setting up
the complete distillation simulation, or when attempting to find reasonable column properties to
allow the system to converge (e.g. number of trays, feed location, etc.)
• A widely used shortcut distillation method commonly referred to as the Fenske-Underwood-
Gilliland (FUG) method.
Shortcut distillation
• The components that have their distillate and bottoms fractional recoveries specified are called
key elements.
• The most volatile of the keys is called the Light Key (LK) and the least volatile is called the heavy
key (HK). The other components are called non-keys(NK).
Shortcut distillation
For binary mixture:
Step 1: Choose LK and HK and fix their distribution in top and bottom product.
Step 2: Estimate the minimum number of stages at total reflux using Fenske's equation
𝑥𝐷
1−𝑥
ln[ 𝑥𝐵 𝐷 ]
1 − 𝑥𝐵
𝑁𝑚𝑖𝑛 =
𝑙𝑛𝛼𝐴𝐵
𝐾
𝛼𝐴𝐵 = 𝐾𝐴
Nmin-1 plates + Reboiler 𝐵
Assuming change in relative volatility from the bottom of the column to the top of the column is moderate, else
𝛼𝑎𝑣 = ∝𝐵𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 . ∝𝑡𝑜𝑝
Shortcut distillation
Step 3: Estimate the minimum reflux ( Rmin) from the solution of Underwood's equations:
𝑥𝐷 1 − 𝑥𝐷
− 𝛼𝐴𝐵
𝑥 1 − 𝑥𝐹
𝑅𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 𝐹
𝛼𝐴𝐵 − 1
Step 4: Estimate the actual number of equilibrium stages for a specified reflux ratio using Gilliland
correlation:
Shortcut distillation
• For most commercial operations the optimal operating reflux ratios : 1.1 to 1.5 Rmin
Shortcut distillation
Step 5: Estimate the position of feed tray using Kirkbride equation
Shortcut distillation
Example: Estimate required number of trays for a distillation column
with following specifications.
Feed Top Bottom
Ethylbenzene 0.46 0.97 0.03
Styrene 0.54 0.03 0.97
Column temperature: 100 oC
Column pressure: 1 atm
Developing a model
To derive a mathematical model, need to use the below equations
1. Equilibrium relationships
2. Component mass balance
3. Total mass balance
4. Energy balance
Equilibrium relationships
1. Tvapor=Tliquid (Thermal equilibrium)
2. PV=PL (mechanical equilibrium)
3. Tendency of each component to escape from the liquid phase to the vapor phase is exactly
equal to tendency to escape from the vapor phase to the liquid phase. (Phase equilibrium)
Third case may be represented by Raoult’s law (for ideal solution)
Modeling of distillation column for a binary
mixture
• Model 1: Behaviour on the feed plate assumed in the McCabe-Thiele method.
• Model 2: Behaviour assumed on the feed plate when the total
flow rates Vj and Lj vary throughout each section of the column.
These flow rate may be determined by solving the enthalpy
balances simultaneously with the above set of equations.
Modeling of a distillation column for a
multicomponent mixture
Given specifications of the conventional distillation column:
1. Number of plates in each section of the column
2. Quantity, composition, and thermal condition of the feed
3. Column pressure
4. Type of overhead condenser (total or partial)
5. Reflux ratio, Lo/D or V1 or Lo
6. One specification on the distillate such as the total flow rate D
Find the characteristics of the top and bottom products at steady state.
Modeling of a distillation column for a
multicomponent mixture
•q
Modeling of a distillation column for a
multicomponent mixture
Modeling of distillation column for a binary
mixture
Set of equations
