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Multi-component Distillation Column

Distillation columns are important units in petrochemical industries. These units process
their feed, which is a mixture of many components, into two valuable fractions namely the top
product which rich in the light components and bottom product which is rich in the heavier
components. A typical distillation column is shown in Figure 2.18. The column consists of n
trays excluding the re-boiler and the total condenser. The convention is to number the stages
from the bottom upward starting with the re-boiler as the 0 stage and the condenser as the n+1
stage.

Description of the process:
The feed containing nc components is fed at specific location known as the feed tray (labeled f)
where it mixes with the vapor and liquid in that tray. The vapor produced from the re-boiler
flows upward. While flowing up, the vapor gains more fraction of the light component and loses
fraction of the heavy components. The vapor leaves the column at the top where it condenses and
is split into the product (distillate) and reflux which returned into the column as liquid. The
liquid flows down gaining more fraction of the heavy component and loses fraction of the light
components. The liquid leaves the column at the bottom where it is evaporated in the re-boiler.
Part of the liquid is drawn as bottom product and the rest is recycled to the column. The loss and
gain of materials occur at each stage where the two phases are brought into intimate phase
equilibrium.


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B
x
b
F
z
D
x
d
C
w
steam

Figure 2-18 Distillation Column


Modeling the unit:
We are interested in developing the unsteady state model for the unit using the flowing
assumptions:

100% tray efficiency
Well mixed condenser drum and re-boiler.
Liquids are well mixed in each tray.
Negligible vapor holdups.
liquid-vapor thermal equilibrium

Since the vapor-phase has negligible holdups, then conservation laws will only be written for the
liquid phase as follows:

Stage n+1 (Condenser), Figure 2.19a:

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Total mass balance:
) ( D R V
dt
dM
n
D


(2.161)

Component balance:

1 , 1 ) (
) (
, ,
,
nc j x D R y V
dt
x M d
j D j n n
j D D

(2.162)

Energy balance:

c D n n
D D
Q h D R h V
dt
h M d
) (
) (

(2.163)

Note that R = L
n+1
and the subscript D denotes n+1

Stage n, Figure fig2.19b

Total Mass balance:

n n n
n
L R V V
dt
dM

1

(2.164)

Component balance:

1 , 1
) (
, , , , 1 1
,


nc j x L Rx y V y V
dt
x M d
j n n j D j n n j n n
j n n

(2.165)

Energy balance:


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n n D n n n n
n n
h L Rh H V H V
dt
h M d

1 1
) (

(2.166)

Stage i, Figure 2.19c

Total Mass balance:
i i i i
i
L L V V
dt
dM

1 1

(2.167)

Component balance:

1 , 1
) (
, , 1 1 , , 1 1
,


nc j x L x L y V y V
dt
x M d
j i i j i i j i i j i i
j i i

(2.168)

Energy balance:

i i i i i i i i
i i
h L h L H V H V
dt
h M d

1 1 1 1
) (

(2.169)

Stage f (Feed stage), Figure 2.19d

Total Mass balance:

) ( ) ) 1 ( (
1 1
qF L L F q V V
dt
dM
f f f f
f



(2.170)

Component balance:

1 , 1
) ( ) ) 1 ( (
) (
, , 1 1 , , 1 1
,



nc j
qFz x L x L Fz q y V y V
dt
x M d
j j f f j f f j j f f j f f
j f f

(2.171)


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Energy balance:

) ( ) ) 1 ( (
) (
1 1 1 1 f f f f f f f f f f
f f
qFh h L h L Fh q H V H V
dt
h M d



(2.172)

Stage 1, Figure 2.19e

Total Mass balance:
1 2 1
1
L L V V
dt
dM
B

(2.173)

Component balance:

1 , 1
) (
, 1 1 , 2 2 , 1 1 ,
, 1 1
nc j x L x L y V y V
dt
x M d
j j j j B B
j

(2.174)

Energy balance:

1 1 2 2 1 1
1 1
) (
h L h L H V H V
dt
h M d
B B

(2.175)

Stage 0 (Re-boiler), Figure 2.19f

Total Mass balance:

B L V
dt
dM
B
B

1

(2.176)

Component balance:


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1 , 1
) (
, , 1 1 ,
,
nc j Bx x L y V
dt
x M d
j B j j B B
j B B

(2.177)

Energy balance:

r B B B
B B
Q Bh h L H V
dt
h M d

1 1
) (

(2.178)

Note that L
0
= B and B denotes the subscript 0

Additional given relations:
Phase equilibrium: y
j
= f (x
j
, T,P)
Liquid holdup: M
i
= f (L
i
)
Enthalpies: H
i
= f (T
i
, y
i,j
), h
i
= f (T
i
, x
i,j
)
Vapor rates: V
i
= f (P)

Notation:
L
i
, V
i
Liquid and vapor molar rates
H
i
, h
i
Vapor and liquid specific enthalpies
x
i
, y
i
Liquid and vapor molar fractions
M
i
Liquid holdup
Q Liquid fraction of the feed
Z Molar fractions of the feed
F Feed molar rate