ADVANCED SEPARATION PROCESS

Assignment 1
Question 1:
a)Explain in detail why the mixing of pure chemicals to form a homogeneous mixture is a
spontaneous process, while the separation of that mixture into its pure species is not.
Question 2:
Based on the information from Figure 1.9 and Table 1.5, determine the SF (split factor) , SP
(split ratio) ,and Overall Percent Recovery for each component by filling in the information
Table 1.6.

Table 1.5: Operating Material Balance for Hydrocarbon Recovery Process
lbmol/h in Stream
Stream 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Component Feed to C1 C5+ rich Feed to C2 C3 Feed to C3 iC4 nC4-rich
C2H6 0.6 0 0.6 0.6 0 0 0
C3H8 57 0 57 54.8 2.2 2.2 0
iC4H10 171.8 0.1 171.7 0.6 171.1 162.5 8.6
nC4H10 227.3 0.7 226.6 0 226.6 10.8 215.8
iC5H12 40 11.9 28.1 0 28.1 0 28.1
nC5H12 33.6 16.1 17.5 0 17.5 0 17.5
C6+ 205.3 205.3 0 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 735.6 234.1 501.5 56 445.5 175.5 270


Table 1.6: Split Fraction and Split ratios for Hydrocarbon Recovery Process
Unit Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Overall
Percent
Recovery(%)
Component SF SR SF SR SF SR
C2H6
C3H8
iC4H10
nC4H10
iC5H12
nC5H12
C6+


Question 3:
The feed to Column 3 of the distillation sequence in Figure 1.9 is given in Table 1.5 (refer
Question 2). However the separation is to be altered so as to produce distillate that is 95
mol% pure isobutene (iCH4) with recovery of isobutane in the (SF) of 96%. Because of the
relatively sharp separation in Column C3 between iC4 and nC4, assume all propane goes to
the distillate and all C5s goes to the bottoms.
a) Compute the flowrates in lbmol/h of each component in each of the product leaving
Column C3.
b) What is the percent purity of the normal butane in the bottoms product?