3

A total feed of 200 mol/h at the boiling point containing 42 mol % heptane and 58% ethyl
benzene is to be fractionated at 101.32 kPa abs to give a distillate containing 97 mol % heptanes
and a bottoms containing 1.1 mol % heptanes. The feed enters the tower is a mixture of saturated
liquid and vapor with 40 mol % liquid. The reflux ratio used is 2.5:1. Equilibrium data for
heptane-ethyl benzene system at 101.32 kPa are given below, where x and y are mole fraction of
heptane.

x 0 0.080 0.250 0.485 0.790 1.000

y 0 0.230 0.514 0.730 0.904 1.000

Calculate the following.

(a) Mol/h distillate, mol/h bottoms.
(b) Minimum reflux ratio.
(c) Minimum theoretical trays at total reflux
(d) Theoretical number of trays required for an operating reflux ratio of 2.5:1.
Ans: D = 85.3 kmol/h, B = 114.7 kmol/h
Rmin = 1.68
6.6 theoretical trays plus reboiler
11.2 theoretical trays plus reboiler

7. 4A distillation column is fed 100 kmol/h of a mixture of 50 mol % benzene and 50 mol %
toluene at 101.32 kPa abs pressure. The feed is saturated vapor at the dew point. The distillate is
to contain 90 mol % benzene and the bottoms 10 mol % benzene. The reflux ratio is 4.52:1.
Equilibrium data for benzene-toluene system at 101.32 kPa are given below, where x and y are
mole fraction of benzene.

x 0 0.130 0.258 0.411 0.581 0.780 1.000

y 0 0.261 0.456 0.632 0.777 0.900 1.000

Calculate the following.

(a) Minimum reflux ratio Rm.
(b) Minimum theoretical trays at total reflux
(c) Theoretical number of trays required for an operating reflux ratio of 1.5*Rm.
Ans: Rmin = 1.92506
(b) # of equilibrium stages (including reboiler) = 4.93446

3.94 theoretical trays plus reboiler at total reflux

(c) # of equilibrium stages (including reboiler) = 7.65925

6.7 theoretical trays plus a reboiler

3
Geankoplis, C.J., Transport Processes and Separation Process Principles, 4th edition, Prentice Hall, 2003, p. 754
4
Geankoplis, C.J., Transport Processes and Separation Process Principles, 4th edition, Prentice Hall, 2003, p. 754
8. 5An enriching tower is fed 100 kmol/h of a saturated vapor feed containing 40 mol % benzene
and 60 mol % toluene at 101.32 kPa abs pressure. Figure 8 depicts an enriching tower where the
feed stream is the saturated vapor and the bottoms stream is the saturated liquid. There is no
reboiler in an enriching tower. The distillate is to contain 90 mol % benzene and the reflux ratio
is 4.0:1. Equilibrium data for benzene-toluene system at 101.32 kPa are given below, where x
and y are mole fraction of benzene.

x 0 0.130 0.258 0.411 0.581 0.780 1.000

y 0 0.261 0.456 0.632 0.777 0.900 1.000

Calculate the kmol/h distillate D and bottoms B and their compositions. Also, calculate the
number of theoretical plates required.

5
Geankoplis, C.J., Transport Processes and Separation Process Principles, 4th edition, Prentice Hall, 2003, p. 754