Distillation Problem 4

One thousand kilomoles per hour of a feed containing 30 mol % n - hexane and 70 mol % n octane is to be distilled in a column
consisting of a partial reboiler, one equilibrium tray and a partial condenser, all operating at 1
atm. The feed, a bubble - point
liquid, is fed to the reboiler, from which a liquid bottoms product is
continuously withdrawn. Bubble - point reflux is returned from the partial condenser to the
plate. The vapor distillate, in equilibrium
with the reflux contains 80 mol % hexane, and the reflux ratio, L/D, is 2. Assume that the
partial reboiler, plate, and partial
condenser each function as equilibrium stages. The relative volatility is 5
with hexane being the light key. Calculate the bottoms composition. Assume equimolar
overflow. A schematic of the process is
shown in Fig. 1 below. Calculate the bottoms composition xB
Fig.1:FlowSheetfordistillationcolumn

Solution

We are given the relative volatility for the binary mixture; thus the equilibrium relation for the
mixture is
y= (1)
aABx
1+ xHaAB- 1L
,aAB= 5
Solving for x we get
x= (2)
y
y+ aABH1- yL
,aAB= 5
Since we have a partial condenser the vapor stream D must be in equilibrium with the liquid
stream L leaving the condenser.
Hence the compositions xR and yD must satisfy the equilbrium relationship. Thus
xR= (3)
yD
yD+ 5H1- yDL
=
0.8
0.8+ 5H1- 0.8L
= 0.444444
Now let us write a species mass balance over the condenser to determine y1
y1V= yDD+ xRL(4)
Solving for y1 gives
y1= yD(5)
D
V
+ xR
L
v
In the problem statement we are told that L/D=2, and from a overall balnce over the condeser
we have
V= L+ D (6)
V
L
= 1+
D
L
= 1+
1
2
=

3
2
Thus
(7)
D
V
=
D
L
L
V
=
1
2

2
3
=
1
3
Hence
y1= 0.8(8)
1
3
+ 0.4444
2
3
= 0.562933
Now since x1 and y1 must be in equilibrium we can determine x1 from teh equilibrium
relationship
x1= (9)
y1
y1+ 5H1- y1L
=
0.562932
0.562932+ 5H1- 0.562932L
= 0.204831
Now a species balance over the equilbrium tray 1 and the condenser gives
yB= (10)
D
V
yD+
L
V
x1= 0.8
1
3
+ 0.204831
2
3
= 0.403221
Finally we use the equilibrium relation to determine xB
xB= (11)
yB
yB+ 5H1- yBL
=
0.403221
0.403221+ 5H1- 0.403221L
= 0.119045
2 DistProb4Soln.nb