Distillation Theory

Team 3: Robert Clifford, Patricia Firmin,

Gen Liang, Rooma Raza
The Basics of Distillation
Different Parts of Distillation
Condenser

Overhead Vapor

Overhead Product
Reflux
Rectifying Section

Stripping Section Reboiler

Bottoms Product
Possible Feed Conditions
L-L
q=
F
V -V
q= 1+
F
McCabe-Thiele Graphical Method
Minimum Reflux Ratio
Optimal Feed Stage
 Shortcut Method
Fenske equation-minimum number of trays and split fraction

x lk (1 - x hk )
ln
x hk (1 - x lk )
Nm =
ln a lk/hk
a Nm
x hk
xk = k
1 + (a Nm
k -1)x hk
Tray Number and Reflux Ratio
blk = x lk b hk = 1- x lk
12.3
Ni =
{(a lk/hk -1)2/3 (1 - bi )1/6 }

NT = g N max i (Ni ) + (1 - g N ) min i (Ni )

1.38
Ri =
{(a lk/hk -1)0.9 (1 - bi )0.1 }

R = g R max i (Ri ) + (1 - g R ) min i (Ri )

 Stage Efficiency

E0 = 13.3 - 66.8 log m

Range from 41% to 88%

For close-boiling mixtures, liquid viscosity is low, resulting in
high stage efficiency
 Distillation Column Sizing
Calculate column Diameter by Internal flowrates and design column at
80% of linear flooding velocity.

A = p D2 = V '/ (0.8Unf er g )
Unf = Csb(( rl - r g ) / r g ) (20 / s )
0.5 0.2

If D> 3m = Parallel columns

 Types of Distillation Columns
Packed Bed Columns
Used more often for absorption and
distillation of vapor-liquid mixtures.
The liquid flows downward through the packing and
the vapor flows upward through the column.
Advantages
Cost efficient
Lower pressure drop
Good for thermally sensitive liquids
Disadvantages
Packing can break during installation
 Types of Distillation Columns
Tray Column
The number of trays or stages is dependent
Advantages
Cost efficient
Can handle high liquid flow rates
Disadvantages
Higher pressure drops than packed columns
Foaming can occur due to agitation
 Advanced Distillation
Reactive Distillation Extractive Distillation

Vacuum Distillation
 References
Seader, J. D., Ernest J. Henley, and D. Keith. Roper.
Separation Process Principles: Chemical and Biochemical
Operations. 3rd ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2011. Print.
"ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING EQUIPMENT."
Distillation Columns. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.
http://encyclopedia.che.engin.umich.edu/Pages/Separations
Chemical/DistillationColumns/DistillationColumns.html.
Biegler, L., Grossmann, I., Westerberg , A., 1997, Systematic
Methods of Chemical Process Design, Prentice Hall.
Bravo, Jose L. and James K. Fair. "Distillation
Columns."Chemical Engineering ProgressJanuary 1990:
19-29.