Prof M.

Mazzotti
Thermische Verfahrenstechnik I binary distillation in packed column

Binary distillation in packed column

A process engineer visiting a company of a competitor was told that a packed column (inner
diameter 0.5m) is used to separate a binary liquid mixture. During his visit he also saw that the
column was running with a reflux ratio of R = 1.5. The manufacturer of the packing material X
provides the following HTU-diagram:

Figure 1: HTU-diagram of packing material X

From scientific publications the equilibrium curve of the binary liquid mixture is available:

y = x2 + 2x (1)
also the vapor density of the mixture is known: v = 4.1kg/m3

In a flyer, provided by the company, the following information are printed:

concentration in the product stream: x1,D = 0.82

concentration in the bottom stream: x1,B = 0.03
product stream: F = 77 kg/h
feed concentration: xF = 0.4

With these information, the process engineer is able to calculate the height of the packing material
in the column of the competitor. Which height did he get?

1
Prof M. Mazzotti
Thermische Verfahrenstechnik I binary distillation in packed column

Guideline for the solution

y=x
Z D
rect strip dy
N T Uov,G = N T Uov,G + N T Uov,G = (2)
y y
y=xB

Equilibrium:

y = x2 + 2x (3)
Operating line:

y = px + q (4)

Rectification part:
R
p= (5)
R+1
xp x1,D
q= = (6)
1+R 1 + 1.5
Using equation 5 and 6 in 4:

y = 0.6 x + 0.328; dy/dx = 0.6 (7)

y=x
Z D y=x
Z D
rect dx 0.6 dx
N T Uov,G = = 0.6 (8)
y y x2 1.4x + 0.328
y=xF y=xF

Substitution:

X = x2 1.4x + 0.328 (9)

= 4c b2 = 4 0.328 1.42 = 0.648 (10)

y=x
Z D
rect dx 1 2x + b sqrt
N T Uov,G = 0.6 = 0.6 ln = 1.89 (11)
X sqrt 2x + b + sqrt
y=xF

Stripping part:
yF x1,B
p= (12)
xF x1,B

q = yF p xF = 0.014 (13)

R xF + x1,D
yF = = 0.568 (14)
1+R
This leads to

y = 1.454x 0.014; dy/dx = 1.454 (15)

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Prof M. Mazzotti
Thermische Verfahrenstechnik I binary distillation in packed column

y=x
Z F
strip dx
N T Uov.G = 1, 454 (16)
x2 0.546x 0.014
y=xB

= 4c b2 = 4 (0.014) (0.546)2 = 0.354116 (17)

= 0.595 (18)

strip
N T Uov.G = 7.88 (19)
Using equation 2:

N T Uov.G = 1.89 + 7.88 = 9.77 (20)

with

D (1 + R) p 2.5 774
wD = = = = 0.06642m/s (21)
A D A D 3600 0.52 4.1

F = 0.06642 4.1 = 0.1345 (22)
Using diagram in figure 1 leads to HT Uov,G =0.528 m

H = HT Uov,G N T Uov,G = 5.16m (23)