Howdoesdistillationwork?

Distillationisdefinedas:

aprocessinwhichaliquidorvapourmixtureoftwoormoresubstancesisseparatedinto
itscomponentfractionsofdesiredpurity,bytheapplicationandremovalofheat.

Continuousdistillationcolumns

1.
2.
3.
4.

Classifiedaccordingto:
Natureofthefeedthattheyareprocessing:

binarycolumnfeedcontainsonlytwocomponents;
multicomponentcolumnfeedcontainsmorethantwocomponents.

Numberofproductstreamstheyhave:

multiproductcolumncolumnhasmorethantwoproductstreams.

Whereextrafeedexitswhenusedtohelpwiththeseparation:

extractivedistillationwheretheextrafeedappearsinthebottomproductstream;
azeotropicdistillationwheretheextrafeedappearsatthetopproductstream.

Typeofcolumninternals:

traycolumntraysofvariousdesignsusedtoholduptheliquidtoprovidebettercontactbetweenvapourand
liquid;
packedcolumnpackingsareusedtoenhancevapourliquidcontact.

MainComponentsofDistillationColumns

Averticalshellwhereseparationofliquid
componentsisdone.
Columninternalse.g.trays/platesand/or
packingswhichareusedtoenhance
componentseparations.
Areboilertoprovidethenecessary
vaporizationforthedistillationprocess.
Acondensertocoolandcondensethe
vapourleavingthetopofthecolumn.
Arefluxdrumtoholdthecondensed
vapourfromthetopofthecolumnsothat
liquid(reflux)canberecycledbacktothe
column.

DISTILLATION
COLUMN

COLUMNS, Diagrams

Fractional Distillation Column

Distillation Column Packings

BatchDistillation
Indifferentialdistillationafeedmixture(aninitialcharge)ofagivencompositionisplacedinasinglestageseparator
(astillpot,retortorflask)andheatedtoboiling.Thevaporiscollectedandcondensedtoadistillate.Thecompositionof
theremainingliquidandthedistillatearefunctionsoftime.Theremaybeseveralreasonsforrunningabatchprocess
suchasthis:
1)Smallcapacitydoesntwarrantcontinuousoperation
2)Separationistobedoneonlyoccasionally
3)Separationispreparativetoproduceanewproduct
4)Upstreamoperationsarebatchwiseorfeedstocksvarywithtimeorfrombatchtobatch
5)Feedmaterialsarenotappropriateforacontinuousflowsystem.
Totalcondenser

Distillation

Refluxdrum

Overheadvapor
Rectifyingsectionstages

1
2

Feed

Strippingsectionstages

Reflux

Totalcondenser

Overheadvapor

Distillate

Distillate
QB

FeedStage

Differential
Distillation

Boilup
Partialreboiler
Bottoms

Noreflux
Noboilup
Noreboiler
Nocascade
Nofeedstream
Nocountercurrentflow

Liquidcompositionx(t)
Distillatecompositiony(t)
DistillateflowD(t)
LiquidremainingW(t)

TheDifferentialDistillationoperationrequiresamuchsimplerapparatus,butis
complicatedbecausetheprocessisnowafunctionoftime.

BatchDistillation
Toanalyzethisprocesswemustperformcomponentbalances
intheformofrates:

Differential
Distillation

Therateofdepletionoftheliquidisequaltotherateofdistillateoutput

Overheadvapor

Theinstantaneousrateofdepletionofacomponentintheliquid
isgivenby:

Changein
composition
intheliquid

Changeinthe
totalamount
oftheliquid

Theinstantaneousrateofthecomponentleavinginthedistillateis:
Dy D
Conservationofspeciesrequiresthatthesetworatesbeequaltoeachother:

dx
d
dW
DyD
Wx W W W x W
dt
dt
dt

Distillate
D(t),y=yD=xD

QB

dx
d
dW
Wx W W W x W
dt
dt
dt

Changeintotal
amountofthat
component
intheliquid

Totalcondenser

Liquidleftinstill
W(t),x=xw

BatchDistillation
RateofdepletionequalsthecomponentflowrateinDistillate

dx
d
dW
DyD
Wx W W W x W
dt
dt
dt

Differential
Distillation

Totalcondenser

Overheadvapor

Distillate
D(t),y=yD=xD

Multiplyingtheaboveequationbydtgives:

WdxW xW dW y D Ddt

QB

Liquidleftinstill
W(t),x=xw

Butweknowthattherateoftotalliquiddepletionisequaltothe
flowrateofdistillate:

dW Ddt
Whichthengives:

Wdx W xW dW y DdW
Rearrangingtouseseparationofvariablesgives:

dxW
dW

y D xW
W
Thedistillatecompositionandliquidcompositionarerelatedthroughanequilibrium
equation(y=kx).Wecanthenintegratebothsides:

dx

xk 1

dW
W

1
x
w
ln
ln
k 1 x 0
w0

Distillation: The underlying physics of

the process
This process takes advantage of the differences in distribution of
components between vapour and liquid phase
pressure constant
dew point

Tb(B)

T1

T5
T4
T3

T2
T3

T2
T1
T4

Tb(A)
L

xa

xA=0
xB=1

T5

ya

xA=1
xB=0

Distillation: Basic elements of the process

Va, ya
La, xa=xd
Ln-1 xn-1

Ln xn

condenser
Overhead product

Vn yn

D, xd

Vn+1 yn+1

F, z f
Lm-1 xm-1
Vm ym

Bottom product

Lm xm
Vm+1 ym+1

Vb, yb
Lb, xN

boiler

B, xb

Distillation: Operating lines

Rectifying section

Va, ya
La, xa=xd=y1=ya
Ln-1 xn-1

Ln xn

R=La/D

Vn yn

condenser
Overhead product

D, xd

Vn+1 yn+1

F, z f
Lm-1 xm-1
Vm ym

Bottom product

Lm xm
Vm+1 ym+1

Vb, yb
Lb, xN

boiler

B, xb

Distillation: Operating lines

Vn 1 yn 1 Ln xn DxD yn 1

Ln
D

xn
xD
Vn 1
Vn 1

This equation is a straight line (V=const, L=const, L/V=const) if:

- Two components have similar and constant molar
enthalpies of vaporization (latent heats)
- Component sensible enthalpies changes and heats of mixing
are negligible (compared to latent heats)
- The column is well insulated (adiabatic)
- Pressure is uniform throughout the column

Distillation: Operating lines

y n 1

Va, ya

L
D

xn
xD
V
V

La, xa
R=L/D

Ln xn

L
;
D

yn 1

Overhead product

Vn+1 yn+1

L
L
L/D
R

V L D L / D D / D R 1

R
1

xn
xD
R 1
R 1

condenser

Reflux ratio

D, xd

Distillation: Operating lines

yn 1

R
1

xn
xD
R 1
R 1
y

slope=R/(R+1)

1
xD
R 1
xD
x

Distillation: Operating lines

Va, ya
La, xa
Ln-1 xn-1

Ln xn

R=La/D

Vn yn

condenser
Overhead product

D, xd

Vn+1 yn+1

Stripping section

F, z f
Lm-1 xm-1
Vm ym

Bottom product

Lm xm
Vm+1 ym+1

Vb, yb
Lb, xN

boiler

B, xb

Distillation: Operating lines

L xm V ym 1 BxB

L
B
ym 1 xm xB
V
V

Bottom product
boiler

Lm xm
Vm+1 ym+1

B, xb

slope= V

yB
xN
xB

Distillation: Feed stage considerations

L

V
F

dew point
vapour feed

bubble point
liquid feed

subcooled
liquid feed

superheated
vapour feed

partially vaporized
feed

Distillation: Feed stage considerations

L

L L
V V
q
1
F
F

Distillation: Feed stage considerations

L

bubble point
liquid feed

subcooled
liquid feed

q>1

dew point
vapour feed

q=1

q=0

L L
F

superheated
vapour feed

q<0

partially vaporized
feed

0<q<1

Distillation: Feed stage considerations

F

L L qF L L F
V V (1 q) F V V (1 q ) F

Vy Lx DxD

rectifying section

V y L x BxB

stripping section

y (V V ) ( L L ) x DxD BxB
q
zF
y
x
q 1
1 q

FzF
Feed line

D
F
B

q
zF
y
x
q 1
1 q
x=zf

q
zF
y
zF
zF
q 1
1 q
y=zf

q>1
q=1

y=
x

Distillation: Feed line behavior

0<q<1
q=0

x=zf

q<0

Distillation: Complete picture

yn 1

R
1

xn
xD
R 1
R 1

q
zF
y
x
q 1
1 q

L
B
yn 1 xm xB
V
V

y
y1

zf

yB
1
xD
R 1
xB xN

zf

xD
x

Distillation: Complete picture

yn 1

R
1

xn
xD
R 1
R 1

L
B
yn 1 xm xB
V
V
q
zF
y
x
q 1
1 q

y
y1

zf

yB
xB xN

zf

xD
x

Limiting cases: total reflux

Total reflux=Minimum number of stages
D=0
R=L/D=
L/V=1

F=0

y
y1

Ln D Vn 1
Ln Vn 1
B=0
Total reflux

yn 1

R
1
xn
xD
R 1
R 1

zf

yB

If R=L/D= then R/(R+1)=1; also L=V

yn 1 xn

xB

xN

zf

xD
x

Limiting cases: total reflux

Total reflux=Minimum number of stages
D=0
R=L/D=
L/V=1

F=0

y
y1

Ln D Vn 1
Ln Vn 1
B=0
Total reflux

yn 1

R
1
xn
xD
R 1
R 1

zf

yB

If R=L/D= then R/(R+1)=1; also L=V

yn 1 xn

xB

xN

zf

xD
x

Distillation: Minimum number of stages

a) Graphical methods

D, xD
F, z

R=L/D

B, xB
xB

b) Short cut methods: Fenske Equation

xD

Distillation: Fenske Equation

Under total reflux condition: operating line equations become:

y n 1 xn
ym 1 xm
Consider relative volatility coefficient for a binary mixture of A and B:

AB

y A / xA
y
y
AB B A
y B / xB
xB x A

For a binary mixture, yA+yB=1, and xA+xB=1, so skipping the A, B subscripts and rewriting everything
for the light component A:

1 y y
AB

1 x x

Distillation: Fenske Equation

1 y y
AB

1 x x
For a particular stage n+1:

1 yn 1 yn 1
yn 1
xn 1
n 1, AB

n 1, AB
1 xn 1 xn 1
1 yn 1
1 xn 1
At the same time:

So

yn 1 xn

xn
xn 1
n 1, AB
1 xn
1 xn 1

Distillation: Fenske Equation

xn
xn 1
n 1, AB
1 xn
1 xn 1
xD
x1
1, AB
1 xD
1 x1
x1
x2
2, AB
1 x1
1 x2
xn 1
xD
1, AB 2, AB n 1, AB
1 xD
1 xn 1

Distillation: Fenske Equation

xD
xB
1, AB 2, AB N 1, AB
1 xD
1 xB
xD
xB
N min 1
( )
1 xD
1 xB

N min

ln[ xD (1 xB ) / xB (1 xD )

1
ln AB
Fenske equation

Distillation: Limiting cases

If we decrease reflux ratio, then

q
zF
y
x
q 1
1 q
yn 1

R
1

xn
xD
R 1
R 1

L
B
yn 1 xm xB
V
V

y
y1

zf

yB
xB xN

zf

xD
x

Limiting cases: minimum reflux

If we decrease reflux ratio, then we
are arriving at a condition where both
the rectifying, stripping and feed line
intersect at the equilibrium line.

y
y1

In order for this process to take place we

need an infinite number of plates

zf

The minimum reflux

ratio condition

yB
xB xN

zf

xD
x

Limiting cases: minimum reflux

yn 1

R
1

xn
xD
R 1
R 1

y
y1

At this point: xn=x and yn+1=y*

y*

Rmin
1
y*
x
xD
Rmin 1
Rmin 1
Rmin

xD y *

y * x

zf

yB
xB xN

zf
x

xD
x