Chapter 3

Material Balance on Single

Unit Process

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Objectives
At the end of this chapter you should be able to:
Recognize each term in the general balance equation.
Recognize process unit basic functions.
Explain the difference between an open and closed
system, batch, semibatch and continuous processes.
Draw and label a process flowchart.
Choose a suitable basis.
Define a system and draw its boundaries.
Solve steady state material balance problems with a
single process unit and no chemical reactions (i.e.
Accumulation = generation = consumption = 0.0).
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Its accounting of materials in terms of

Balance.
Balance implies that, under steady-state
operation.
In the absence of generation and
consumption processes.
Material flow rates entering and leaving
the process must be equal.
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Heating, mixing, drying

Fermentation
Any other operation except nuclear
reaction
Unknown quantities can be calculated
using mass balance principles

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Mass is conserved at all time.

Given the mass flow rate of some input
and output streams.
Calculate the mass flow rates of other
streams.
Its a powerful tool in chemical analysis.

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Applied the low of conservation to atoms,

molecular species and total mass.
Solving material balance problems without
reaction.

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1. Total mass (or males)

2. Mass (or moles) of chemical compound
3. Mass (or moles) of an atomic species

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We need to define a system and quantities

of interest.
System: a region of space defined by a
real or imaginary closed boundary.
System can be:
Single process unit
Collection of process units
Entire process
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Accumulation
within the
system
(buildup)

Input through
system
boundary
Generation
within the
system

Output through
system
boundary
Consumption
within the
system

Accumulation = In Out + Generation Consumption

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Rules used to simplify the general material

balance equation:
If the system is at steady- state, set
accumulation=0
If the balanced quantity is total mass, set
generation = 0 and consumption = 0 (low of
conservation of total mass)
If the balanced substance is non reactive
species, (neither a reactive nor a product), set
generation = 0 and consumption = 0
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Flowchart is a convenient way of organizing

process information for subsequent
calculations.
To benefit from flowchart in material balance
equation, we must:
Write the values and units of all known stream
variables at the locations of the streams on the
chart.
Assign algebraic symbols to unknown stream
variables and write these variables names and
their associated units on the chart.
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Notations:
The use of consistent notation is generally
advantage.
For example:
m: mass, m : mass flow rate
n : moles, n : mole flow rate
v : volume, V : volumetric flow rate
x : component fractions (mass or mole) in liquid
streams.
y : component fractions in gas streams.
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Material Balance Simplifications

There is no reactions (consumption = 0)
Continuous process
Steady state (accumulation = 0 )
The composition of each component should
be known if not will be consider as unknown.

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Example 3.1 Distillation

Consider the process flow sheet in figure
E3.1; write the set of material balance
equations.

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Figure E3.1 process flow

sheet of distillation column.
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Solution:
1,A m
2,A m
3,A
A: m
1,B m
2,B m
3,B
B: m
1,C m
2,C m
3,C
C: m
3,A 0 (no A exists in stream 3)
m
1,Total m
2,Total m
3,Total
Total mass balance : m

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Example 3.2 Ethanol Water

Separation Process
A mixture containing 10% Ethanol (E) and
90% H2O (W) by weight is fed to a
distillation column at the rate of 1000 kg/h.
The distillate contains 60% Ethanol and
the distillate is produced at a rate one
tenth that of the feed. Draw and label a
flowchart of the process. Calculate all
unknown stream flow rates and
composition?
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Solution:
The process labeled flow sheet is shown in
figure E3.2

Figure E3.2 process flow sheet of ethanol water separation process.

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Basis:1000 kg/h of feed

Assumption: Continuous process, steady
state, no reactions.
DF = Number of unknowns Number of
independent equations Number
relations.
DF =2 2 - 0 = 0 (solvable)

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Solution:
D is one tenth of the feed
0.1 (1000) 100 kg/h
Total mass balance:
1000 kg/h B 100 kg/h, B 900 kg/h
Component balance (Ethanol) :
100 kg/h 60 kg/h (X E ) (900 kg/h) x E 0.044
Check water :
900 kg 40 kg (0.956)(900 kg ) 900 kg OK
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Example 3.3 Separation processes

Calculate all unknown stream variables
shown in figure E3.3?

Figure E3.3 flow sheet

of separation process.
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Solution:
Basis :100 kg / min of the feed stream
The deg ree of freedom; DF
2 (unknown) 2 (independent equations ) 0 ( solvable)
Total mass balance :100 kg / min 40 kg / min m o
Component mass balance ( NaOH ) 20 kg / min 5 kg / min m 1
Answer :
m o 60 kg / min
m 1 15 kg / min NaOH in the bottom stream
m 2 60 15 45 kg / min H 2O in the bottom product stream
m 3 40 5 35 kg / min H 2O in the top stream
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Material Balance Fundamental

Material balance( mass balance) are
based on the fundamental low of
conservation of mass (not volume).
Chemical engineers are concerned with
writing mass balances around chemical
processes.

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We have to learn:
the process variables that we need to
describe the chemicals in a process
stream.
How to specify a process stream, process
unit.
Do mass balance on a single process
unit, and on sequence of process units.

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Process classification
A. Based on how the process varies with time.

Steady state processes: is one that does not

change with time. Every time we take a
snapshot, all the variables have the same
values as in the first time.
Unsteady state (Transient ) processes: is a
process that changes with time . Every time we
take a snapshot, many of the variables have
different values than in the first time.

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Process classification
B. Based on how the process was designed
to operate:
Continuous processes: material is

transferred into and out of the system

continuously at a constant rate into a
distillation column and remove the
product streams from top and bottom of
column(e.g oil refinery, natural gas
processing and polyethylene plants.
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Process classification
Batch processes: no material is transferred

into or out of the system over the time

period of interest (e.g making a batch of
product, like soup polyamide and
polystyrene synthesis processes).
Semi batch processes: any process that
is neither batch nor continuous (e.g Some
chemicals in the process are handled
batch wise.
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Types of Balance
1. Differential Balances: written in terms of

rates of change of the specified quantity

with respect to time.
Example: a worker said I get paid
$10.0/hr.
Accumulation is a differential term. This type
of balance is typically applied to continuous
steady- state process.
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Types of Balance
2. Integral Balances : written in terms of the
amounts of a specified quantity over a period
of time.
Example: a water storage tank at the start
contains 5 liters of water, after 30 minutes of
water flowing to the tank, it is found to contain
50 liters of water.
In this case the accumulated water after 30
minutes is 45 liters of water.
Accumulation =(final output initial input )=
50 - 5 =45 liters
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Streams are specified as suggested below:

1. If the stream composition is unknown (or if
some of the component masses are
known ) represent the component masses
directly and use a lower case letter for
each chemical.
E.g., if stream F contains chemical a, b and
c, ,label the flow rates as :
F , aF , bF and cF F aF bF
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2. If the stream composition is known from

fractional composition ,represent the
component masses directly and label
them.
3. If stream composition is partially known
with fractional compositions and the total
is known, represent the component
masses indirectly and use lowercase x,y,z
for each fractional composition.

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All material balance calculation are variation

of a single theme: Given values of some
input and output stream variables, derive
and solve equations for the others. Solving
the equations is a matter of simple
algebra.

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Stream F contains 100 kg of O2 and 700

of CH4. Label the stream.
Solution:
Note that the component masses must be
added and it should be equal to the total
The total mass in F is 1200 kg. Thus,
Stream F , F 800 kg

mO2 100 kg
mCH 4 700
kg
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1200 kg of a mixture of O2 ,N2 and CH4 are fed to

process. The stream has 20% O2 by mass.
Label the stream (Note : the mass of component I
in the stream is equal to F xi ).

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Solution: The composition is partially

known. Note that the fractional
composition must add to 1, thus, we can
write two alternatives using fractional
composition.
Stream F, F 1000kg

xO2 0.2
xN 2 ?
xCH 4 1 0.2 x N 2
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Other solution by using component masses:

Stream F , F 1000kg

mO2 200 kg
mN 2 ?
mCH 4 1000 200 mN 2
800 mN 2

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Scaling
Change value of all stream amounts of a certain process by a proportion
amount while leaving the stream compositions unchanged.

Scaling
down

Scaling
up
The final stream quantities are
larger than the original quantities.

The final stream quantities are

smaller than the original quantities.

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Basis of calculation
It is an amount or flow rate of one the process stream.
It is recommended to consider that:
1.If a stream amount or flow rates is given in the problem

statement, use this as the basis of calculation.

2.If no stream amount or flow rates are known, assume
one, preferably a stream of known composition.
3.If mass fraction are known, choose a total mass or mass
flow rate of that stream (e.g., 100 kg or 100 kg/h)
4.If mole fraction are known, choose a total number of
moles or a molar flow rate.
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Method for solving material balance

problem.
1. Read the problem carefully and express what the problem statement
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

7.
8.

ask you to determine and information is given in the problem.

Draw and fully label a process flow sheet with all the known and
unknown process variables including units.
Choose a basis of calculation.
Select a system and draw its boundaries.
State your assumptions (i.e., steady-state, ideal gas, etc).
Determine the number of unknowns and the number of equations
that can be written to rerate them. That is, does the number of
equations equal the number of unknowns?
Solve the equations.
Calculate the quantities request in the problem statement if not
already calculated. Check your solution and does make sense?
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General material balance equation.

1.

Write the material balance equation in words, and

briefly define each term, using the word system
in your definitions. The general material balance
equation:

Accumulation = (In out) + (Generation - Consumption)

Accumulation: Change in quantity of material inside system.
In: material that enters system by crossing system boundary.
Out: material that exist system by crossing system boundary.
Generation, Consumption: material that is generated or consumed
by chemical reaction within the system.

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2. List the four kinds of process units found on a

block flow diagram, and briefly explain the
function of each:
Mixer: Brings together several input streams, makes
one output stream.
Splitter: Takes on input stream and split into two or
more output stream, with each stream of
identical composition.
Reactor: Provides conditions to allow chemical reaction; reactants
in input stream are converted to products by
reaction and then leave in output stream.
Separator: Takes an input stream and separates into two or more
output streams, with each output stream of different
composition.
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3- Some bacteria carry out a reaction

that removes nitrates from water using
methanol. The unbalanced reaction is
HNO3 + CH 3 OH
C3 H 7 NO2 + CO2 + H 2 O

Write as a balance chemical reaction

equation ?

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Solution
1. The general material balance equation:
Accumulation = (In Out) + (Generation
Consumption)
Accumulation: change in quantity of material
inside system.
In: material that enters system by crossing
system boundary.
Out: material that exist system by crossing
system boundary.
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Mass, moles, mass fraction

and mole fraction.
1- 502 pounds of polystyrene (molar
mass=30,200g/g-mole) is dissolved in
4060 pounds of styrene(C8H8,molar
mass=104 g/ g-mol). Calculate the mass
percent of polystyrene in the mixture.

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Solution
502 lb
Polystyrene mass percent
100% 11 wt %
(502 lb 4060 lb)
502 lb
There are
0.0166 lb mol polystyrene and
30200 lb / lb mol
502 lb
39.04 lb mol styrene.
104 lb / lb mol
Polystyrene mole percent
0.0166 lb mol
100% 0.0425 lb mol %
0.0166 lb mol 39.04 lb mol

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Process flow diagram that include, mixer,

reactor, separator and splitter.

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Example
You have 180 g of a 12 wt%
solution of glucose (C6H12O6) in
water. Calculate the g-mole of
glucose and of water.

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Solution
180 g solution

0.12 g glucose 1g mol glucose

0.12 g mol glucose

g solution
180g glucose

0.88 g water
180 g solution
1g mol water/18 g water 8.8 g mol water
g solution

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3- 2.7Ib of CO2 is held in a vessel at 67 F and

1080 mm Hg.
Calculate the volume(cm3) of the vessel using
the ideal gas law.
n 2.7 lb CO 2

453.59 g 1 gmol

27.8 gmol CO 2
lb
44 g

T (67 o F 32) (5/9) 19.4 o C 273.15 292.6K

1 atm
P 1080 mm Hg
1.42 atm
760 mm Hg
nRT 27.8 gmol 82.057 atm cm 3 /gmol K 292.6 K
V

470,000 cm 3
P
1.42 atm
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Separation of a mixture of benzene

and toluene.
One thousand kilograms per hour of a mixture of
benzene (B) and toluene (T) containing 50%
benzene by mass is separated by distillation into
two fractions. The mass flow rate of benzene in
the top stream is 450 Kg B/h and that of toluene
in the bottom stream is 475 Kg T/h. The operation
is at steady-state. Write balance on benzene and
toluene to calculate the unknown component flow
rate in the output streams.
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Separation Process

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Solution:
Basis:1000 Kg/h of feed
Assumptions: steady state, no reaction.
Material balance : In = out
B balance: 0.5 (1000)=450 Kg B/h +m3B
m3B = 50 Kg B/h
T balance:
0.5(1000) = m2T+475 Kg T/h
m2T =25 Kg T/h
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Methanol- water mixtures

Two methanol-water mixture are
contained in separate flasks. The
mixture contains 40.0 wt% methanol,
and the second contains 70.0 wt%
methanol. If 200g of the first mixture is
combined with 150 g of the second,
what are the mass and composition of
the product?
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Methanol- water mixing process

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Solution
Basis: 200g of the 40%wt methanol (i.e. stream 1).
Assumptions: Steady state, no reaction.
Material balance:
m3 =350
Total balance: 200 +150 = m3
M balance:
x3M=0.53
0.4(200)+0.7(150)=x3M(350)

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Roasting of cements raw

materials
Cement is produced by roasting the raw
material in a rotating kiln kept at high
temperature. On ton per minute of raw
material enters the kiln producing 0.7
ton of cement. It is known that gaseous
by-products are produced during the
roasting. From the data, determine their
emission rate.
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Solution :
Basis: 1 ton feed
Assumption: Steady state, no reaction
Total mass balance
m1 = m2 + m3
1 ton/min = 0.7 ton/min + m3
m3 = 0.3 ton/min

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