Worksheet 1.

2
BINARY DISTILLATION
CH138P
Name:
SEPARATION PROCESSES
Lora Bell D. Lorian Page 1 of 3

Present clean and clear solutions to the following problems. Highlight your final answer by enclosing it within a box.

4. We wish to separate a mixture of acetone and ethanol using a distillation column with a total condenser. The desired
acetone concentration in the distillate and the bottoms are 0.8 and 0.1, respectively. L/D is equal to 2. 80% of the
saturated liquid feed flow to the column exits the column as distillate. Use the Lewis-Sorel Method to determine the
composition of the liquid leaving the 4th stage. The feed is introduced on the 3rd stage.

𝐿
Given: 𝑥𝐷 = 0.8 𝑥𝐵 = 0.1 =2
𝐷
Required: composition of the liquid leaving the 4th stage, x
Solution: Basis: 100 kmol Feed XD=0.8
L/D=2

Overall Mass Balance: F = D + B → 100 = D + B → 100 = (100)(0.80) + B Basis:

𝐁 = 𝟐𝟎 𝐤𝐦𝐨𝐥 F=100 kmol
𝐃 = F − B = 100 − 20 = 𝟖𝟎 𝐤𝐦𝐨𝐥

Acetone Balance: 𝐹𝑧𝐹 = 𝐷𝑥𝐷 + 𝐵𝑥𝐵 → (100)(𝑧𝐹 ) = (80)(0.8) + (20)(0.1)

𝒛𝑭 = 𝟎. 𝟔𝟔
XB=0.10
𝐿
Mass Balance at Condenser: 𝐕 = L + D = D ( ) + D = 80(2) + 80 = 𝟐𝟒𝟎 𝐤𝐦𝐨𝐥 = 𝐕
𝐷

L
L = D ( ) = 80(2) = 160 kmol
D
L = L + F = 160 kmol + 100 = 260 kmol

Stage 1:
𝑥𝐷 = 𝑦1 = 0.80

L1 is in equilibrium
with V1.
from the graph, x1 = 0.70
𝐿 𝐿 160 160
𝑦2 = 𝑥1 + (1 − ) 𝑥𝐷 = (0.70) + (1 − ) (0.80) 𝒚𝟐 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟑
𝑉 𝑉 240 240

Stage 2:

from the graph, x2 = 0.582

𝐿 𝐿 160 160
𝑦3 = 𝑥2 + (1 − ) 𝑥𝐷 = (0.582) + (1 − ) (0.80) 𝒚𝟑 = 𝟎. 𝟔𝟓
𝑉 𝑉 240 240

Stage 3:

from the graph, x3 = 0.462

Page 1 of 6
 𝐿 𝐿 260 260
𝑦4 = 𝑥3 − ( − 1) 𝑥𝐵 = (0.462) − ( − 1) (0.10)
𝑉 𝑉 240 240
𝒚𝟒 = 𝟎. 𝟒𝟗

Stage 4:
from the graph, x4 = 0.27

For the next 4 problems. The vapor-liquid equilibrium data for heptane – ethylbenzene at 1 atm pressure is given below:

x 0 0.10 0.20 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70 0.90 1

y 0 0.25 0.45 0.65 0.74 0.82 0.86 0.96 1

An equimolar mixture of heptane and ethylbenzene is to be distilled at 1 atm pressure. The desired concentration of
heptane in the distillate is 90 %mol and that of ethylbenzene in the bottoms is 94%mol.

Latent heat, kJ/kmol Heat capacity, kJ/kmol-K

Heptane 35,000 220
Ethylbenzene 40,000 183

Page 2 of 6
 Feed temperature 30C
Condenser temperature 95C
Reboiler temperature 99C

5. Determine the minimum reflux ratio if the feed is:

a. a saturated liquid
1 0.9
q = 1, slope = ( ) 𝑥 = ∞𝑥 from the graph, 0.54 = → 𝐑𝒎𝒊𝒏 = 𝟎. 𝟔𝟕
1−1 R𝑚𝑖𝑛 +1
𝑥𝐷
using y interccept =
R+1

b. a saturated vapor
0 0.9
q = 0, slope = ( ) 𝑥 = 0𝑥 from the graph, 0.35 = → 𝐑𝒎𝒊𝒏 = 𝟏. 𝟓𝟕
0−1 R𝑚𝑖𝑛 +1
𝑥𝐷
using y interccept =
R+1

c. an equilibrium mixture of liquid and vapor, with 60% vapor

0.4
q = 1 − 0.6 = 0.4, slope = ( ) 𝑥 = −0.67𝑥 plotting, y = - 0.67x + 0.83
0.4−1
0.5 0.9
intercept = = −0.83 from the graph, 0.45 = → 𝐑𝒎𝒊𝒏 = 𝟏. 𝟏𝟐
0.4−1 R𝑚𝑖𝑛 +1

6. Determine the minimum number of theoretical plates using:

a. the McCabe-Thiele graphical method
from the graph, Nmin = 5 stages

thus, the minimum number of theoretical plates is 4 plates.

Page 3 of 6
 b. the Fenske equation
𝛼𝑎𝑣𝑒 = (𝛼𝐿 𝛼𝑉 )0.5
𝑦𝐴 1 − 𝑥𝐴 0.96 1 − 0.90
𝛼𝑉 = ( )= ( ) = 2.6667
𝑥𝐴 1 − 𝑦𝐴 0.90 1 − 0.96
0.16 1 − 0.06
𝛼𝐿 = ( ) = 2.9841
0.06 1 − 0.16
𝛼𝑎𝑣𝑒 = [(2.9841)(2.6667)]0.5 = 2.821
𝑥 1 − 𝑥𝐵
log [( 𝐷 ) ( )] log [( 0.9 ) (1 − 0.06)]
1 − 𝑥𝐷 𝑥𝐵 1 − 0.9 0.06
𝑁𝑚𝑖𝑛 = = = 4.77 ≈ 5
log (𝛼𝑎𝑣𝑒 ) log(2.821)

Nmin is approximately to be 5 stages, while the minimum number of theoretical plates are 4 plates.

7. For a saturated vapor feed and a reflux ratio that is twice the minimum, determine:
a. the number of theoretical stages using the McCabe-Thiele graphical method

b.
R = 2R min = 2(1.57) = 3.14
R 1
y=( )𝑥 + ( )𝑥
R+1 R+1 𝐷
1
y intercept = ( ) (0.9) = 0.22
3.14 + 1
number of theoretical stages are 7 stages.

c. the optimum feed stage location

The optimum feed stage location is found to be at the 4 th stage.

d. the actual number of stages if the efficiency is 60%

theoretical number of stage = 7 stages; theoretical plates = 6 plates

𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠
𝜂= = 0.60
𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠
6 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠
actual plates = = 10 plates
0.60
actual stages = 10 plates + 1 = 11 stages
∴ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 = 𝟏𝟏 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬

8. Determine the condenser and reboiler duties.

Basis: 100 kmol F
Overall Mass balance: F = D + B = 100
Heptane Balance: FzF = DxD + BxB → (100)(0.5) = (100 − B)(0.9) + B(0.06)
𝐁 = 𝟒𝟕. 𝟔𝟐 𝐤𝐦𝐨𝐥
𝐃 = 100 − B = 100 − 47.62 = 𝟓𝟐. 𝟑𝟖 𝐤𝐦𝐨𝐥

L
Mass Balance at Condenser: 𝐕 = L + D = D ( ) + D = DR + D = D(R + 1) = 52.38(3.14 + 1) = 𝟐𝟏𝟔. 𝟖𝟓 𝐤𝐦𝐨𝐥
D
L
𝐋 = D ( ) = 52.38(3.14) = 𝟏𝟔𝟒. 𝟒𝟕𝟑𝟐 𝐤𝐦𝐨𝐥
D

Page 4 of 6
Enthalpies: assume T0 = 0°C, CPV ≈ CPL
𝐤𝐉
𝐡𝐅 = zH CPL,H (T − T0 ) + zE CPL,E (T − T0 ) = (0.5)(220)(30 − 0) + (0.5)(183)(30 − 0) = 𝟔𝟎𝟒𝟓
𝐤𝐦𝐨𝐥
𝐤𝐉
𝐡𝐁 = xB,H CPL,H (T − T0 ) + xB,E CPL,E (T − T0 ) = (0.06)(220)(99 − 0) + (0.94)(183)(99 − 0) = 𝟏𝟖𝟑𝟑𝟔. 𝟖
𝐤𝐦𝐨𝐥
𝐤𝐉
𝐡𝐃 = xD,H CPL,H (T − T0 ) + xD,E CPL,E (T − T0 ) = (0.90)(220)(95 − 0) + (0.10)(183)(95 − 0) = 𝟐𝟎𝟓𝟒𝟖. 𝟓
𝐤𝐦𝐨𝐥
HV = yH [𝜆H + CPV,H (T − T0 )] + yE [𝜆E + CPV,E (T − T0 )]
𝐤𝐉
𝐇𝐕 = (0.90)[35000 + 220(95 − 0)] + (0.10)[40000 + 183(95 − 0)] = 𝟓𝟔𝟎𝟒𝟖. 𝟓
𝐤𝐦𝐨𝐥

Energy Balance at Condenser: VHV + Q C = DhD + LhL , since hD = hL , Q c = V(hD – HV )

kJ
Q C = 216.85 kmol(20548.5 − 56048.5) = −7698175 kJ
kmol
7698175 kJ 𝐤𝐉
𝐐𝐂 = − = −𝟕𝟔𝟗𝟖𝟏. 𝟕𝟓
100 kmol F 𝐤𝐦𝐨𝐥 𝐅

Overall Energy Balance: FhF + Q R + Q C = DhD + BhB → Q R = DhD + BhB − FhF − Q C

Q R = (52.38)(20548.5) + (47.62)(18336.78) − (100)(6045) + 7698175
𝐐𝐑 = 𝟗𝟎𝟒𝟑𝟐𝟎𝟐. 𝟖𝟗𝟒 𝐤𝐉

9043202.894 kJ 𝐤𝐉
QR = = 𝟗𝟎𝟒𝟑𝟐. 𝟎𝟑
100 kmol F 𝐤𝐦𝐨𝐥 𝐅

Page 5 of 6
Page 6 of 6