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International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 4(9) 2010 548 scholar.waset.org/1307-6892/1577
World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Chemical and Molecular Engineering
Vol:4, No:9, 2010
International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 4(9) 2010 549 scholar.waset.org/1307-6892/1577
World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Chemical and Molecular Engineering
Vol:4, No:9, 2010
The feed vapour flow rate is expressed as B. Determination of Column Heat Loss
VF = V1 – V2 (12) In determining the heat loss from the distillation column, it
The feed conditions can be defined by q, which is the feed is assumed that the temperature is uniform in the space
vapour fraction that enters the column. Thus, between two plates; thermal capacitance of the column wall
VF material is negligible and convective thermal resistance of the
q= (13)
vapour side inside the column is negligible.
F
where q < 0, subcooled liquid; q = 0, saturated liquid; The heat transfer between the column wall and the
0 < q < 1, vapour – liquid mixture; q = 1, saturated vapour; surrounding is then determined from the relationship for
q > 1, superheated vapour. overall heat transfer coefficient.
Thus, the liquid molar flow rate of the feed F becomes: QLosses = U P Ao∆TP (23)
LF = F – VF (14) where Up, the overall heat transfer coefficient is given by Gani,
Also, the vapour molar flow rate remaining at the bottom of Ruiz and Cameron [10] as
the column is given as: U p = f (ho , hi , Kp, Ao , Ai , Am , t ins ) (24)
L2 = L1 + LF (15)
At the rectifying section of the column, the liquid molar flow The temperature difference, ∆T p is given as
rate and the vapour molar flow rate are expressed, respectively
∆Tp = Tp − Tamb (25)
International Science Index, Chemical and Molecular Engineering Vol:4, No:9, 2010 waset.org/Publication/1577
as:
L = L1 (16a) ho, the heat transfer coefficient between the surroundings and
V = V1 (16b) the column external surface, is given as
and, at the stripping section ho = f(Nu, Kins, do, tins) (26)
hi is the the heat transfer coefficient inside the column; Kp is
the thermal conductivity of the tray material; Ao is the external
L = L2 (17a)
areas of heat exchange; Ai is the internal areas of heat
V = V2 (17b) exchange; Am is the logarithmic mean area; tins is the thickness
The design procedure for a tray distillation column consists of insulation.
of determining the liquid and vapour composition from top to The heat output is calculated with the general
bottom, along the column. The compositions at the top (XD) expression for convection around cylindrical objects.
and bottom (XB) of the column are previously pre-established TP − Tamb
Qloss =
data. In this study, the number of theoretical stages (Nmin) is
1 +
ln(rowall / riwall)
+
ln(rins / rowall) 1
+
(27)
calculated using Fenske’s equation [8]: hi Ai Kwall ⋅ Awall Kins ⋅ Am ho Ao
XD 1 − XB
log . The column inner surface heat transfer resistance is neglected
1 − XD XB as the heat transfer coefficient for condensing vapor is large
N min + 1 =
log α and therefore will have little effect on the overall heat transfer.
(18) For the case considered in this study, the column is hot and
where α is expressed as extra reboiler duty is used. Based on the earlier assumptions
the heat transfer due to free convection between the
AH 2 O
α= surroundings and the external column wall and due to
AEtOH conduction through the insulation materials is predicted. Also,
(19) from geometry of the insulated cylinder (Fig.2), the external
AH 2O is the activity coefficient for water and AEtOH is the diameter of insulation is given as:
activity coefficient for ethanol. The activity coefficients are dins = do + 2tins (28)
determined using Vaan Laar equation [9]: The logarithmic mean diameter of the insulating layer is also
defined as:
A12 XD
2
International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 4(9) 2010 550 scholar.waset.org/1307-6892/1577
World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Chemical and Molecular Engineering
Vol:4, No:9, 2010
ho
Kwall
Kins
QLosses Tsurf
Ti
hot fluid To
Tins
hi
Tp
Cold fluid (air)
International Science Index, Chemical and Molecular Engineering Vol:4, No:9, 2010 waset.org/Publication/1577
riwall
rowall
rins
1
Hence the external areas of heat exchange is expressed as β= (36)
273 + Tf
Ao = πdins , m. Ps (30)
Mean film temperature is
where Ps is the tray (plate) spacing Twall + Tamb
Therefore, the logarithmic mean area (Am) is given as Tf = (37)
2πPs ⋅ tins 2
Am = (31) ∆T = Twall - Tamb (38)
2t
ln1 + ins Twall is the wall surface temperature; Tamb is the ambient
do
temperature; H is the column height while ν is the kinematic
Using dimensional analysis, viscosity; g is the acceleration due to gravity. Prandtl number
K ins ⋅ Nu µC p
ho = (32)
d o + 2tins Pr = (39)
Kf
where, tins is the thickness of insulation
Kins is thermal conductivity of the insulation materials; Nu, µ is the fluid dynamic viscosity , Cp is the specific heat of the
Nusselt number; do, external diameter of column; Tamb, boiling liquid and Kf is the fluid thermal conductivity.
temperature of the surrounding; Tp, plate temperature. Based on the assumptions of neglecting hi, Ai and the effect
For vertical cylinders, the commonly used correlations for of thermal resistance, (24) reduces to:
free convection are adapted from Holman [11] as: UP = f(ho, Kp, Ao, Am, tins) (40)
For laminar flow, and (27) is given as
Nu = 0.59(Gr.Pr )
1/ 4 (Tp − Tamb)πPsN
for (104<Gr.Pr<109) (33) Qlosses =
ln (rins / rowall )
(41)
1
For turbulent flow, +
Nu = 0.10 (Gr.Pr )
1/ 3
for (109<Gr.Pr<1012) (34) K p ⋅ Am ho Ao
where Gr is the Grashof number defined as where
H gβ∆T
3
UP =
1
Gr = (35) ln(rins rowall ) 1
(42)
υ2 +
where the coefficient of thermal expansion of the fluid is K p ⋅ Am ho Ao
International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 4(9) 2010 551 scholar.waset.org/1307-6892/1577
World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Chemical and Molecular Engineering
Vol:4, No:9, 2010
The heat loss from the column trays is given by where µm is the mean bulk fluid viscosity and µwall is the
(TP − Tamb)2πPsN viscosity of the liquid at the wall.
Qlossfromtrays =
ln(rins ro)
(43) Reynolds number is defined as:
1
+ ρ u do
2πPs .tins Kins ⋅ Nu Re m = ex
⋅ (πdins, m.Ps )
Kp ⋅
(
ln 1+ 2 tins
do
)
do + 2tins
µm
Prandtl number is defined as:
(51)
Cpmµ m
The total heat loss from the column is expressed as: Pr m =
Km (52)
Qloss = Qllossfrom trays + Heatlossfromthe twocylinderheads (44) The expression for condensation inside tubes is adapted from
Based on the assumptions made, heat loss through the Holman [8].
cylinder heads is given by 0.25
ρl ( ρl − ρv) KL3 gh 'fg
2(Tp - Tamb)πr2
hiex = 0.555 (53)
Qlossat cylinderheads = o
(45)
µLdiex (TCHP − Twall )
tins 1
+
Kp ho
where
International Science Index, Chemical and Molecular Engineering Vol:4, No:9, 2010 waset.org/Publication/1577
Therefore,
(TP − Tamb)2πPSN h 'fg = hfg + 0.375CpL (TCHP - Twall) (54)
Qloss = +
ln(rins ro) 1 where KL is thermal conductivity of the liquid, diex is the inside
+ diameter of the reboiler-condenser tubes and µL is the density
2πPs .tins Kins ⋅ Nu
KP ⋅
( ) ⋅ (πdins, m.Ps ) of the condensate (liquid). Since ρv << ρL, then ρv is neglected.
ln 1 + 2tins do + 2tins Therefore, the overall heat transfer coefficient may be
do determined from
2(TP - Tamb)πro2
1 1
(46) = +
tins 1 UAHPC 0.023Km ρmudoex Cpm 0.4 µwall 0.14
0.8
+
Kp ho doex µm Km µm
1
C. Determination of Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient +
The overall heat transfer coefficient between the condenser
ρL(ρL − ρv)KL3gh' fg
0.555 (55)
and the reboiler is expressed as a function of the energy yield µLdiex (TCHP −Twall)
by the heat pump to the distillation column and temperature Hence the energy yield by the heat pump to the distillation
drop in the reboiler-condenser: column QHPC is determined as:
(UA)HPC =
QHPC
(47)
QHPC = (UA)HPC. ∆TCHP (56)
∆TCHP The heat pump distribution factor (the factor by which the heat
pump contributes to the heat load of the reboiler) is given by:
However, a more careful analysis reveals that U is an explicit
QHPC
function of Prandtl, Reynolds and Nusselt numbers. The f = (57)
overall heat transfer coefficient referenced to inner surface is Qreb
given by
1 1 1 ri ln(ro / ri )
= + ( ri / ro ) + (48) E. Calculation of Heat Pump Parameters
U i hi ho 2 Kwall The calculation of heat pump parameters begins with the
As thermal resistance of the wall is negligible, (Kw is large and estimation of the working fluid condensation temperature
ln(ro/ri)) ≈ 0, it is then compared with the inner tube diameter obtained from the reboiler temperature and temperature drop
(ri/ro ≈1) across the heat exchangers as:
Then TCHP = TCEV + ∆TCHP (58)
1 1 1 where TCEV is the column vaporization (reboiler) temperature
= + (49)
and ∆TCHP, is the temperature drop in the reboiler-condenser.
U i hi ex ho ex
The relevant working fluid thermodynamic parameters such as
where
pressures, temperatures, enthalpies, specific volumes, vapour
0.023Km µ wall 0.14
hoex = (Re m) 0.8 (Pr m)0.4 ( ) (50) pressures and vapour dryness fraction, etc, were determined
doex µm from thermodynamic correlations and calculated using
POLYMATH Numerical Solution for Scientific Problems [12]
International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 4(9) 2010 552 scholar.waset.org/1307-6892/1577
World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Chemical and Molecular Engineering
Vol:4, No:9, 2010
where necessary. These are presented in detail in F. Determination of Energy Effectiveness and Total
Enweremadu[13]. Energy Consumption
The energy balance, applied to the heat pump working Since vapour recompression uses refrigeration cycle, the
fluid, yields the available energy for exchange at the heat pump coefficient of performance is defined according to
condenser, as follows: the following relation:
Qcd = Mɺ [Cpv(Tb −TCHP) + (1− βc )hLV,CHP] (59) Q HPC + Q 23
COP = (67)
In order to control the heat load, a comparison is made Wɺ
cp
between the energy available at the condenser, Qcd, with the
Also, distillation column with vapour recompression uses the
energy required by the column reboiler, Qreb in accordance
column working fluid as refrigerant and does not execute a
with Oliveira et al [14]:
closed cycle. Hence the excess heat which may occur is not
If Qcd > Qreb then QHPC = Qreb (60) assessed by an overall energy balance but according to
Oliveira et al [15]:
if Qcd ≤ Qreb then QHPC = Qcd (61) if Qcd > Qreb then Q23 = Qcd − Qreb
The following compressor parameters were calculated thus:
Compressor power input
if Qcd ≤ Qreb then Q23 = 0 (68)
International Science Index, Chemical and Molecular Engineering Vol:4, No:9, 2010 waset.org/Publication/1577
The distribution of the excess heat rate, Q23 between the pre-
n −1
n
International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 4(9) 2010 553 scholar.waset.org/1307-6892/1577
World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Chemical and Molecular Engineering
Vol:4, No:9, 2010
X i +1
TABLE I
COMPARISON OF THE (ACTUAL) COLUMN WITH HEAT LOSS AND (CONTROL) WITH NEGLIGIBLE HEAT LOSS
Parameter Actual column (VRCAS) Control column (VRCCS)
Column heat loss (kW) 2.62 0.68
Reboiler heat transfer rate (kW) 8.74 6.77
Total energy consumption (kW) 9.26 7.26
Heat pump condenser distribution factor 0.35 0.45
Overall heat transfer coefficient (kW/m²K) 1.36 0.34
Coefficient of performance 5.91 6.23
Thermodynamic efficiency (%) 15.8 20.2
Reflux ratio 5.033 7.5
International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 4(9) 2010 554 scholar.waset.org/1307-6892/1577
World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Chemical and Molecular Engineering
Vol:4, No:9, 2010
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[4] Meili, A. 1990. Heat pumps for distillation columns. Chemical
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International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 4(9) 2010 555 scholar.waset.org/1307-6892/1577