DISTILLATION COLUMN DESIGN

Stripping Column
CALCULATING NUMBER OF STAGES.
The Underwoods and Gililands method is adopted in order to calculate the number of stages.
Mr Ethanol = 46.069 g/mol
Mr Water = 18.015 g/mol


( )
,( ) ( )-



( )
,( ) ( )-



( )
,( ) ( )-

( ) ,( ) -

( ) ,( ) -

(

) ,(

) -


Temperature of feed = 92.60 C (VLE data for ethanol-water mixture).
Light Key - LK - Ethanol (More Volatile Component)
Heavy Key - HK - Water (Less Volatile Component)

FEED
Mole fraction of ethanol in liquid,

= 0.067885
Mole fraction of water in liquid,

= (1 - 0.067885) = 0.93212
Mole fraction of ethanol in vapor phase,

= 0.267580
Mole fraction of water in vapor,

= (1 - 0.267580) = 0.732420

= 5.0164

DISTILLATE (55 wt. % ethanol)
By interpolation,
Mole fraction of ethanol in distillate,

= 0.32338
Mole fraction of water in distillate,

= (1 - 0.32338) = 0.67661

BOTTOMS (0.02 wt. % ethanol)
By Interpolation,
Mole fraction of ethanol in bottoms,

= 0.00008085
Mole fraction of water in bottoms,

= (1 - 0.00008085) = 0.99992

The minimum stages, N
min
requires at total reflux is estimated using the Fenske equation;

*(

Similarly,

*(

*( )

( )

+
()

= 5.358 5

Minimum reflux at infinite, R
min
stages;

= 0.067885

= 0.32338

= 0.00008085

( )
*

)
(

)
+

( )
*

( )
( )
+
= 0.2794

Reflux ratio is 1.2 to 1.5 times the minimum reflux ratio from reference.
Taking average = 1.35

= 0.2794 1.35
= 0.3772

Using Gillilands empirical relation between reflux ratio and number of stages (Table 11.42,
Coulson and Richardson);

= 0.07

At 0.07,
( ) (

)
( )

Replacing

= 5,


Number of plates in stripping column = 14

= 0.65 from Table 11.1 (SINNOT, 2005)

Taking reboiler to be equivalent to one stage,

FEED POINT LOCATION
The empirical equation given by Kirkbride (1944) in Chemical Engineering Design by Coulson
and Richardson (Vol. 6) is used to find the feed point location.
[

] [(

) (

)(

]
Where, Nr = Number of plates below feed
N
s
= Number of plates above feed

From material balance,
Mass flow rate of distillate = 2.894 kg/s
Mass flow rate of bottom product = 13.050 kg/s
(

)
(

)
Therefore,
[

] *(

) (

) (

(excluding the reboiler)

Taking overall column efficiency to be 65%, N
s
= 20
This means that the feed enters the column at the top and there are no stages above the feed.

APPROXIMATE COLUMN SIZING
Height of column
Safety factor above and below the column: 0.4 m
Plate spacing: 0.5 m
( ) ( )
Diameter of column
According to SINNOT (2005), the maximum allowable superficial vapor velocity can be
estimated using Souders and Brown equation.

) *
(

( )

Where

( )
(


From mass balance,
Stream Mass Flow Rate (kg/s)
Feed, F 15.945
Distillate, D 2.894
Bottom product, B 13.050

The stripping column operates at a pressure of 1 atm. From steam tables, at P = 101.325 kPA,
T = 99.97 C

Reflux ratio, R = 0.3772

Since feed is entering at the bubble point, g = 1

( )

( )

Top Product

Assuming that the vapor behave as an ideal gas,
Where,
P = Pressure of vapor =

R = Gas constant = 0.1805 kJ/kgK
T = Temperature of vapor = (90.08 + 273.15) = 363.23 K
= Specific volume (m
3
/kg)

Density of ethanol vapor,

Calculation of parachor, C
2
H
5
OH,

Group Contribution Number
C 4.8 9.6
H-O 11.3 11.3
H-C 17.1 85.5
O 20.0 20.0
126.4
Molecular Weight of ethanol = 46

[
( )

()

()

()

Bottom Product

[
( )

()

()

Table 1: List of parameters used for calculations
PARAMETER TOP BOTTOM
Temperature, T (K) 363.23 373.14
Liquid Rate, L (kg/s) 1.0918 17.036
Vapor Rate, V (kg/s) 3.986 3.986
Liquid Density,

(kg/m
3
) 789 958.77
Vapor Density,

(kg/m
3
) 1.5 0.5976
Liquid Flow Rate, q (m
3
/s)

Vapor Flow Rate, Q (m
3
/s) 2.5792
Surface Tension, (N/m)

0.004805
Viscosity, (Ns/m
2
)

Molecular Mass, Mr (kg/kmol) 18.0172

Note: Design methods adopted in this chapter have been mostly borrowed from Coulson and
Richardsons Chemical Engineering Design, Volume 6 combined with Backhurst and Harkers
Process Plant Design (1973). Also, the equations and correlations used are described in more
details in Chapter 2.

1) Column Diameter

Flow parameter, F
LV

) (

) (

) (

Using figure 11.27 (SINNOT, 2005), for plate spacing = 0.5 m,

Correction for surface tension

Vapor velocit based on net area,
V
)

The column is designed for 80% flooding at maximum flow rate (WINKLE, 1967)

Maximum volumetric flow rate
Top Q = 2.5792 m
3
/s
Base Q = 6.6702 m
3
/s
Net area required (A
n
)

Column cross-sectional area (A
c
)
As trial, downcomer area is taken as 12% of tower area.
A
d
= 0.12 A
c
A
n
= 0.88 A
c

Column diameter, (D
c
)

)
Since same diameter above and below the feed, the column diameter 1.80 m
2) Selection of Liquid Flow Pattern
The maximum volumetric liquid rate is at the base, L = 0.01777 m
3
/s. From figure 11.28
(Coulson and Richardson, Vol 6), single pass cross-flow plate is selected.
3) Provisional Plate Design
Column Diameter, D
c
= 1.80 m
Column Area, A
c
= /4 D
c
2
= /4 (1.80)
2
= 2.5447 m
2

Downcomer Area, A
d
= 0.12 2.5447 = 0.3054 m
2
(At 12%)
Net Area, A
n
= A
c
- A
d
= 2.5447 - 0.3054 = 2.2396 m
2

Active Area, A
a
= A
c
- 2A
d
= 2.5447 - 2(0.3054) = 1.9340 m
2
Hole Area, A
h
= 0.10 A
a
(First Trial) = 0.10 1.9340 = 0.1934 m
2

Weir Length
From figure 11.31 (SINNOT, 2005)

Taking,
Weir height = 50 mm
Hole diameter = 5 mm
Plate thickness = 5mm

4) Check Weeping
Maximum liquid rate = 17.036 kg/s
Minimum liquid rate at 70% turn-down = 0.70 17.036 = 11.9254 kg/s

At minimum rate,

From Figure 11.30 (SINNOT, 2005),

( )
()

From the value obtained, it can be observed that the operating rate will be well above the weep
point, which means no weeping will occur.
5) Plate Pressure Drop

Dry plate pressure drop

Using Figure 11.34(SINNOT, 2005):

Orifice coefficient, C
o
= 0.84

)
Residual Head, (h
r
)

( )
Note: An assumption of 100mm was made in order to calculate the base pressure. A change is
physical properties will have little effect on the plate design. 112.5 mm per plate is considered to
be acceptable (SINNOT, 2005).
The pressure drop can also be expressed in

6) Downcomer Liquid Backup
Downcomer pressure loss
Height of bottom edge of apron above plate, h
ap
= h
w
- 10

As this value is less than A
d
= 0.3054 m
2
, A
ap
is used in the equations that follow.

( )

( )

( )
Since 0.2214 0.275, the chosen plate spacing of 0.5 m is acceptable.
Residence time

Satisfactory since t
r
3s
Check entrainment

From Figure 11.29 (SINNOT, 2005),

It can be observed that the per cent flooding is also well below the design figure of 80, which
means that the column diameter could be reduced. However, this would lead to an increase in
pressure drop. The column diameter is maintained.
7) Perforated Area
Note: 50 mm unperforated strip round plate edge is allowed and 50 mm wide calming zones

()
Angle subtended by the edge of the plate = 180 - 98.93 = 81.07
(

Total area of perforation, (A
p
)

Hole pitch

Hence, triangular pitch pattern is used.
From Figure 11.33 (SINNOT, 2005),

( )

Since l
p
is greater than twice d
h
, it is acceptable.
8) Number of holes

9) Hydraulic gradient
The hydraulic gradient for sieve trays is normally small but it should be checked.

From Figure 6-9 (Backhurst and Harker, 1973), at F
va
= 1.63, Aeration factor, Q
p
= 0.62

) ,( ) -

Froth height on tray (h
f
)

()

Hydraulic radius of aerated mass (R
h
)

( )

( )
( ) ( )

Velocity of aerated mass, (U
am
)

Where, = 0.22 has been obtained from Figure 6-9 (Backhurst and Harker, 1973), at F
va
= 1.6


Renolds Modules R
eh
)

( )

From Figure 6-10 (Backhurst and Harker, 1973), sieve tray friction factor, f = 0.0205
Liquid gradient,

Note: L
f
= L
w
g = 9.81
*

+
The value obtained clearly shows that the liquid gradient is considerably small and is thus,
insignificant.
10) Height of Column

Where,
H
c
= Height of Column
N
actual
= Actual number of plates = 20
l
t
= Tray spacing = 0.5 m
H = Liquid hold-up (1.5 m) and vapor disengagement (1.0 m)
()
Plate thickness = 5 mm
Total thickness of trays = 20 0.005 = 0.1 m

( )
EFFICIENCY
The AlChE method is adopted in order to make a rough estimate of the plate efficiency. This
estimation is vital in order to obtain the actual number of stages of a given separation. Since
maximum flow rates are considered in the section, conditions at the base of the column are
considered.
Liquid flow rate, L = 17.036 kg/s
Vapor flow rate, V = 3.986 kg/s
The point efficiency is first estimated for a stage where the concentration of ethanol is 0.02 wt.
%.
At x = 0.0002, y = 0.02 (From equilibrium plot)
Assuming 60% tray efficiency, y = (0.020.6) = 0.012
Liquid properties
Bottom temperature = 100 C (Assumption)

( )
,( ) ( )-

) ,(

) -

Estimating density of liquid:
From steam tables, at 100 C, specific volume of saturated liquid = 0.001043 m
3
/kg
Density of water at 100 C = 1/0.001043 = 958.77 kg/m
3

Density of ethanol at 100 C 789 kg/m
3
Mass of liquid = 17.036 kg/s

Estimating viscosity of liquid:
Note: Viscosities are rarely additives. The viscosity for organic mixtures can be given by
the modified Souders equation.
(

Where I = Souders index. From Table 8.1 (SINNOT, 2005), the Souderss index for each
component can be estimated.
For Ethanol (C
2
H
5
OH), contributions from Table 8.1:
2 carbon atoms 2 50.2 = 100.4
6 hydrogen atoms 6 2.7 = 16.2
OH 1 57.2 = 57.2
Total I
1
173.8
For Water (H
2
O), contributions from Table 8.1:
2 hydrogen atoms
2 2.7 = 5.4
1 oxygen atom
1 29.7 = 29.7
Total I
2
35.1
Surface tension of liquid:
of ethanol = 22.39 mN/m (Perry, 1987)
of water = 72.75 mN/m
Assuming surface tensions can be additive,

( ) ( )
Vapor properties

.

/
0.

/ .

/1

) ,(

) -

Estimating density of vapor:
From steam tables, at 100 C, specific volume of saturated vapor = 1.6941 m
3
/kg
Density of water at 100 C = 1/1.6941 = 0.5903 kg/m
3

Density of ethanol at 100 C 1.5 kg/m
3
Mass of liquid = 3.986 kg/s

Estimating viscosity of vapor:
Assuming viscosities of vapor can be additives,

) (

The equation developed by Fuller at al. (1966) is used to estimate the vapor diffusivity, D
v.

0(

)

(

)

From Table 8.5 (SINNOT, 2005), the special atomic diffusion volume for each component can
be calculated. Diffusion volumes; Ethanol
Element

No. of
C 16.50 2 = 33
H 1.98 6 = 11.88
O 5.48 1 = 5.48

50.36

Diffusion volumes; Water
Element

No. of
H 1.98 2 = 3.96
O 5.48 1 = 5.48

9.44

0()

()

The equation developed by Wilke and Chang (1955) is used to estimate the liquid phase
diffusivity, D
L.

()

for water = 2.6 (SINNOT, 2005)
Viscosity of water = 0.32 mNs/m
2
(Perry, 1987)
From Table 8.6 (SINNOT, 2005), the molar volume of ethanol;
Atom Volume No. of
C 0.0148 2 = 0.0296
H 0.0037 6 = 0.0222
O 0.0074 1 = 0.0074
V
m
= 0.0592 m
3
/kmol

( )

Vapor and liquid load

Vapor velocity based on active area, (u
a
)

Column vapor factor, (F
v
)

Volumetric liquid flow rate (q) across plate over average width of the plate (L
p
)

)
.

, (

) ( ) ( )-
(

The liquid hold-up on the sieve plates

) (

) ( )

Liquid contact time,(s)

Where, D
w
is the Downcomer width
.
D
w
= (Radius of circle -h)
H is calculated by considering the triangle and thus applying the tangent of the angle:
(

h = 0.5842 m
Thus, D
w
= (1.8/2) - 0.5842 = 0.3158 m
Flow path, Z
L
=D
c
- D
w
= 1.4842 m

Number of liquid-phase transfer units

(( ) )
Estimating Eddy diffusivity for sieve trays

( ( ) ( ) (

))

Peclet number for a tray

Estimating point efficiency

From previous calculations, R = 0.3772
()

)
From Figure 11.15 (SINNOT, 2005),

)
E
mv
= 0.65
Point Efficiency = 65%
Estimating Murphree Efficiency

From Figure 11.16 (SINNOT, 2005),

Murphree Efficiency = 84.5%
Estimating overall column efficiency

/1
.

, ( )-
()

Overall Column Efficiency = 56.9%