Sample Problem #4a:

An equimolar mixture of benzene and toluene is

subjected to flash distillation at a pressure of 1 bar
in the separator.
The equilibrium data is represented by the
following equation: y = 0.6675x3 - 1.8607x2 +
2.1921x + 0.0021.
Determine the composition of the vapor and liquid
leaving the separator when the feed is 25 per cent
vaporized.
 Vapor V = 0.25F
V, y
Feed Flash
F, xF
drum equilibrium equation
y = 0.6675x3 - 1.8607x2 +
xF = 0.5 P=1 2.1921x + 0.0021
bar
Liquid
L, x
Solution:

The fractional vaporization

V
  f  0.25
F
From material balances:
1 f xF
y x
f f
With xF = 0.5, the operating line
equation becomes
y  3 x  2
The intersection between the
operating line equation and the
equilibrium curve equation will
give the composition of the
vapor, y, and the liquid, x.
Solving the given equilibrium
equation and the operating line
equation for y and x:
y = 0.6673
x = 0.4442