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5 Column configuration
The distillation column is not always in the form of a single tower. The reboiler is
usually a separate heat exchanger. Very often, the rectifying and stripping sections are
built as interconnected but separate units. In the case of multicomponent feeds, auxiliary
columns can be used for the further purification of distillate fractions.
13.5.6 Heating with live steam
If one of the components of the mixture is water (e.g., ethanol_water mixtures), it is
possible to replace the boiler by injection of live steam as a heating medium.
The advantage of this method of heating is a reduction in both capital cost and energy
expenditure. Steam supplies heat but also increases the amount quantity of water, and
must be taken into account in the material balance. Practically, the upper operation line
is not affected. The lower operation line passes through the point y50, x5xB instead of
the point y5x5xB.
13.5.7 Energy considerations
With respect to the operation cost of a fractional distillation system, two points have to
be considered: the energy supplied to the reboiler, and the cooling water consumption of
the condenser.
Refer to the scheme in Figure 13.15.
If the vapor is totally condensed, with no sub-cooling, the rate of heat removed in the
condenser is:
q c =V 1 D ( R +1 )>
qc
=( R+1 ) (13.21)
D
where is the molar heat of evaporation. The effect of the reflux ratio on the cooling
load per mol of distillate is evident.
Energy balance for the entire system gives:
FhF + q R=q c + Bh B + Dh D (13.22)
From overall material balance and material balance on the volatile, we obtain:
F=D
X D X B
(13.23)
X F X B
The expression in brackets is composed of the composition of the feed, the distillate and
the bottoms. We shall denote it as for simplicity. The heating load at the reboiler, per
mol of distillate, can now be expressed as:
1
h
qR
=( R+1 ) +h D +
D
Equation (13.24) shows the strong effect of the reflux ratio and the thermal conditions
of the feed on the heating load per unit product.
qc
=( R+1 ) (13.21)
D
X D X B
(13.23)
X F X B
qR
=( R+1 ) +h D +
D