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Experiment 2
BUBBLE CAP DISTILLATION PROCESS
1.0

OBJECTIVES

To operate vapor liquid separation process using a Packed Column Distillation

Unit.

2.0

To analyze the effect of reflux ratio on separation of ethanol-water system.

To determine the number of stages by using McCabe Thiele method

OVERVIEW

Distillation is a separation method in which mixture components in a liquid mixture are

separated based on their relative volatilities. The distillation column provides an environment
where the liquid and vapour phases can approach equilibrium within a column. In the packed
column there is high surface area for contact between the vapor and liquid, whereas the plate
column provides distinct stages at which equilibrium can be approached. Separation is achieved
by condensed vapor flowing as a liquid down the column theoretically achieving equilibrium with
the vapor flowing up the column. The distribution of components differs in each phase and results
in the separation. In the case of a binary mixture in batch distillation under total reflux, the vapor
condensing at the top of the distillation column will be rich in one of the components. Liquid
leaving the reboiler at the base of the column rich in the other component. As the system reaches
equilibrium the separation process reaches steady state for that apparatus and set of operating
conditions. This experiment is designed to study the distillation of a binary mixture of Ethanol
Water in a tray distillation column. Figure 1 is a sketch of a tray with bubble cap and Figure 2
shows the schematic diagram of the apparatus in this experiment.

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Figure 1: Bubble cap tray

Figure 2 shows the schematic diagram of the apparatus in this experiment.

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Figure 2: Packed distillation column

3.0

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES

3.1

Chemicals and Ancillary Equipments Required:

PART A: Calibration curve of ethanol-water mixtures

Chemicals required:
Ethanol industrial grade.
Deionized-Water.
Ancillary equipments required:
Test Tube( 20 test tube per group)
Beakers (50 ml).
Dropper
Glass rod

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Refractometer

PART A: Calibration curve of Ethanol-Water mixtures

1. Obtain 21 test tubes; label the test tubes with A1 until A21. Total volume in each test
tube is 20 ml.
2. Prepare the mixture of ethanol and deionized water to each test tube according to
volume indicate by Table 1.
3. Note that, Stir the mixture of solution (A1 until A21) with glass rod.
4. Obtain the refractive index reading for solution in each tube using refractometer.
5. Record the refractive index reading for each tube tests using Table 1.

Table 1: The volume of chemical needed in each test tube

Test tube
A1

Volume of
Ethanol(ml)
0

Volume of DeionizedWater(ml)
20

A2

19

A3

18

A4

17

A5

16

A6

15

Refractive
Index(RI)

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A7

14

A8

13

A9

12

A10

11

A11

10

10

A12

11

A13

12

A14

13

A15

14

A16

15

A17

16

A18

17

A19

18

A20

19

A21

20

PART B: Operate vapor -liquid separation process using a Packed Column Distillation Unit
under reflux ratio.
Chemicals required:
Ethanol industrial grade.
Deionized-Water.
Ancillary equipments required:
Dropper
Beakers (50 ml)
Tissue
Refractometer

3.2 General start-up procedures.

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1. Prepare 30 litres mixture of ethanol-deionized water by adding 10 % of ethanol

from total volume of the mixture.
2. Ensure valves V3, V4 and V5 are closed.
3. Ensure valves V2, V8 and V10 are open.
4. Ensure that the Bottom Product sampling valve V5 and Top Product sampling valve
V4 are closed.
5. Slowly turn on the Cooling Water (CW) supply to the Condenser. Make sure water is
indeed flowing through it by makesure water flows to the drain from the Cooling
Water outlets. Do not start the experiment until the Cooling Water flow is visible in
the outlets to the drain.
6. Set water flowrate of Cooling Water (CW) to 6 L/min by adjusting water flow
control FCV2.
7. Open valve V6, fill the reboiler vessel(B1) with the 30 L Ethanol-Water mixtures.
8. Close the valve V6 and open valve V2 after finish fill reboiler vessel with the 30 L
Ethanol-Water mixtures.
9. Check that the liquid level in Reboiler vessel is satisfactory (Refer to instructor /
technician).Otherwise top up with the Ethanol Water mixture through the Charge
Port (Refer to instructor / technician).
10 Turn on the main power control switch.
11 Turn on the power switch of the heater.
12 Switch on electrical supply (green heater on button).
13 Set heater controller HC4 to maximum setting (about 230V@ 30A).
14 Allow a period of 15 minutes for the equipment to maintain thermal equilibrium with
surroundings.
15 The unit is now ready to be used for an experiment.
Experiment: Operation under reflux ratio condition
1. When mixture is start to boil, close valves V2.
2. When distillate liquid is seen to flow through R1.1C, adjust both valve for Reflux
Ratio RCV1 so that both readings on R1 and R2 provide a reflux ratio of 1.0 for the
operation.
3. Ensure that the Reflux Ratio is maintained at 1.0.

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4. Collect samples for bottom product from valve V5 and the overhead product from
valve V4 for every 5 minutes.
5. Observe the temperature of the reboiler T14.If the temperature is already 90 OC,
reduce the current of the reboiler to between 20A.
6. Concentration of the samples drawn is measure using the refractive index method
7. Repeat step 2-6 ,for reflux ratio of 1.5 and 2.0

3.3

General shut down procedures.

1. Adjust heater controller HC.4 to minimum setting.
2. Switch off electrical supply (red heater off button).
3. Turn off the power switch of the reboiler.
4.

Turn off the Main power control switch.

5. Do not drain the hot liquid from the Reboiler. If necessary, the liquid within the
system could be drained only when the liquid is already cooled.
6. Allow the cooling water to run for some time.

5.0

ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

Discuss all your results. The questions below only serve as a guideline. Your discussion
should not only limit to these questions.
1. Make a calibration graph based on your data obtained from Experiment A by
plotting Refractive index (RI) on the y-axis against mole fraction of ethanol on the xaxis.
2. Determine the mole fraction of ethanol for the top and bottom product for each reflux
by refer to calibration graph.
3. Calculate the complete overall and component mass balance of the process.

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4. Determine the number of stages that occur in the processes for each reflux by
construct the graph McCabe Thiele Method. Equilibrium data for ethanol-water
system is given in Appendix A.
5. Discuss the results obtained and effect of reflux ratio for ethanol-water mixture
separation
6. Discuss any possible errors in the experiment and state any recommendation to
improve the process.
5.0

REFERENCES
1. Treybal, R.E., Mass Transfer Operations, 3rd ed., Mc-Graw-Hill, 1981
2. McCabe & Smith, Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering, 5th ed, Mc-Graw-Hill,
1993
3. Geankoplis,C. J. Z., Mass Transport Phenomena, 4th Ed., Rine Hart Winston, New
York.
4. Coulson & Richardson, Chemical Engineering. Vol. 2 Pergamon Press, Oxford.

APPENDIX A
Table of Results
Reflux ratio

= 1.0

Rotameter reading R1 (L/hr)

= __________________

Rotameter reading R2 (L/hr)

= __________________

Temperature T4 (oC)

= __________________

Temperature T2 (oC)

= __________________

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Time, t
(min)

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TOP PRODUCT
Refractive index
Mole fraction
(RI)

BOTTOM PRODUCT
Refractive index
Mole fraction
(RI)

0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Reflux ratio

= 1.5

Rotameter reading R1 (L/hr)

= __________________

Rotameter reading R2 (L/hr)

= __________________

Temperature T4 (oC)

= __________________

Temperature T2 (oC)

= __________________

Time, t
(min)

TOP PRODUCT
Refractive index
Mole fraction
(RI)

BOTTOM PRODUCT
Refractive index
Mole fraction
(RI)

0
5
10
15
20
25
30

Reflux ratio

= 2.0

Rotameter reading R1 (L/hr)

= __________________

Rotameter reading R2 (L/hr)

= __________________

Temperature T4 (oC)

= __________________

Temperature T2 (oC)

= __________________

Time, t
(min)

TOP PRODUCT
Refractive index
Mole fraction
(RI)

BOTTOM PRODUCT
Refractive index
Mole fraction
(RI)

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0
5
10
15
20
25
30

APPENDIX B
Equilibrium Data for Ethanol-Water Mixtures
Mole fraction of ethanol in liquid, x

Mole fraction of ethanol in vapor, y

0.00

0.00

0.05

0.38

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0.10

0.53

0.40

0.75

0.60

0.79

0.80

0.86

0.94

0.94

0.90

0.91

0.94

0.94

0.96

0.96

0.98

0.99

STEP BY STEP TO CONSTRUCT GRAPH MCCABE THIELE METHOD

1. Draw the equilibrium curve based on data given in Appendix B, by plotting mole fraction
of ethanol in vapor on the y-axis against mole fraction of ethanol in liquid on the x-axis.
2. Draw the 45-degree line( y =x)
3. Indicate distillate (xD), bottom (xB) and feed (xF) composition on the graph based on
data obtained from experiment.(refer to appendix A).
4. Draw the feed line (q line). For saturated liquid, this is a vertical line running from the
feed composition (xF) through the equilibrium curve.

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5. For a specified reflux ratio, r, draw the 'rectifying' line (ROL). This rectifying line begins
at the point xD on the 45-degree line and has intercept on y-axis.
ROL equation:

6. Draw the 'stripping' line (SOL) by connecting the intersection of the feed line and the
rectifying line and the point xB on the 45-degree line.
7. Beginning at the point xD on the rectifying line, draw a horizontal line to the equilibrium
curve and then a vertical line to the operating (rectifying or stripping) line.
8. Repeat step 7 forming a staircase until you reach or pass the point x B on the 45-degree
line.
9. Each point where the staircase intersects the equilibrium curve denotes one stage in the
column.

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