SAMPLE PROBLEM #22:

A mixture of 54.5 mol% benzene in

chlorobenzene at its bubble point is fed continuously
to the bottom plate of a column containing two
theoretical plates.
The column is equipped with a partial reboiler
and a total condenser. Sufficient heat is supplied to the
reboiler to give V/F = 0.855, and the reflux ratio L/V in
the top of the column is kept constant at 0.50.
Under these conditions, what quality of product
and bottoms (xD, xB) can be expected?
Equilibrium data at column pressure, mole fraction benzene

x y x y

0.100 0.314 0.500 0.806

0.200 0.508 0.600 0.862

0.300 0.640 0.700 0.905

0.400 0.734 0.800 0.943

SOLUTION
total condenser

Diagram
V1
Basis: 1 mol of F L0 D
distilling
column L
reflux ratio   0 .5
sat’d liquid V2 L1 V
F = 1 mol L2

xF = 0.545 B
V3
V
boilup ratio   0.855
F partial reboiler
REQD: xD = ?
xB = ?
V V
Since, boilup ratio   0.855  3
F F

 V3 = 0.855 F = 0.855 (1) = 0.855 mol/s

 at CMO: V3 = V2 = V1 = 0.855 mol/s

L L0
and, reflux ratio   0.5 
V V1
 L0 = 0.5 V1 = 0.5 (0.855) = 0.4275 mol/s

 at CMO: L0 = L1 = 0.4275 mol/s

 bal @ TC:

V1 = L0 + D
 D = V1 – L0 = 0.855 – 0.4275 = 0.4275 mol/s

 stream leaving bottom plate:

F + L1 = L2

 L2 = 1 + 0.4275 = 1.4275 mol/s

 bal @ PR:

L2 = V3 + B

 B = L2 – V3 = 1.4275 – 0.855 = 0.5725 mol/s

L L 2 1.4275
SL slope     1.67
V V3 0.855
 comp bal overall
xFF = xDD + xBB

0.545(1) = xD (0.4275) + xB(0.5725)

 xB = 0.952 – 0.7467xD
 assume xD = 0.9

 xB = 0.952 – 0.7467(0.9) = 0.28

 from McCabe-Thiele diagram, N = 3

 xD = 0.9 & xB = 0.28

 Benzene-Chlorobenzene System

1
1

2
0.8
3
0.6
Slope = 1.67
y

0.4 q=1
Sat’d liquid
0.2

0 xB xF xD
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
x