Sample Problem #2:

A mixture of ortho, meta, and para-

mononitroluenes containing 60, 4, and 36 mol
per cent respectively of the three isomers is to be
continuously distilled to give a top product of 98
mol per cent ortho, and the bottom is to contain
12.5 mol per cent ortho. The mixture is to be
distilled at a temperature of 410 K requiring a
pressure in the boiler of about 6.0 kN/m2 (0.06
bar). If a reflux ratio of 5 is used, how many
plates will be required?
 Given: total
condenser

L0
Distillate
Distilling R = 5 98 mol % ortho
Feed column
60 mol% ortho 410 K
4 mol % meta
36 mol% para
Bottoms
partial 12.5 mol% ortho
reboiler

Required: number of plates required

Solution:
The volatility of ortho relative to the para isomer
can be taken as 1.70 and of the meta as 1.16
over the temperature range of 380 to 415 K. As a
first estimate, suppose the distillate to contain
0.6 mol per cent meta and 1.4 mol per cent para.
Then a material balance will give the composition
of the bottoms.
Consider 100 kmol of feed.

Let D and B be the kmol of product and bottoms,

and xDo and xBo the mol fraction of the ortho in the
distillate and bottoms. An overall material
balance gives:

100 = D + B

An ortho balance gives:

60 = DxDo + BxBo

whence 60 = (100 – B)0.98 + 0.125B

from which D = 55.56 and B = 44.44

The material balance to give the composition and
amount of the streams can be obtained as:

Compo- Feed Distillate Bottoms

nent kmol mol% kmol mol% kmol mol%
o 60 60 54.44 98.0 5.56 12.5
m 4 4 0.33 0.6 3.67 8.3
p 36 36 0.79 1.4 35.21 79.2
Total = 100 100 55.56 100 44.44 100

Equations of operating lines. The liquid and

vapor streams in the column can be obtained as
follows:

Above the feed-point:

Liquid downflow Ln = 5D = 277.8

Vapor up Vn = 6D = 333.4

Below the feed-point, taking all the feed as liquid

at its boiling point:

Liquid downflow Lm = Ln + F
= 277.8 + 100 = 377.8

Vapor up Vm = Lm – B = 377.8 – 44.44 = 333.4

The equations for the operating lines below the
feed plate can then be written as:
Lm B
ym = x m+1 − xB
Vm Vm

377 .8 44 .44
Ortho y mo =
333 .4
x m+1 −
333 .4
xB

= 1.133xm+1 – 0.0166
Meta ymm = 1.133xm+1 – 0.011
Para ymp = 1.133xm+1 – 0.105

and above the feed plate:

Ln D
yn = x n+1 + xD
Vn VN

277 .8 55 .56
Ortho y no =
333 .4
x n+1 −
333 .4
× 0.98

= 0.833xn+1 + 0.163
Meta ynm = 0.833xn+1 + 0.001
Para ynp = 0.833xn+1 + 0.002
Composition of liquid on first plate. The
temperature of distillation has been fixed by
consideration of safety at 410 K and, from a
knowledge of the vapor pressures of the three
components, the pressure in the still is found to
be about 6 kN/m2. The composition of the vapor
in the still is found from the relation y = α x ∑ αx .
so o so s

The liquid composition on the first plate is then

found from equations for the operating lines
below the feed plate; thus for ortho:

0.191 = 1.133x1 – 0.0166

or x1 = 0.183

The values of the composition as found in this

way are shown in the table below. The liquid on
plate 7 has a composition with the ratio of the
concentrations of ortho and para about that in
the feed, and the feed will therefore be
introduced on this plate. Above this plate the
same method is used but the operating
equations are those above the feed plate. The
vapor from the sixteenth plate has the required
concentration of the ortho isomer, and the values
the meta and para are sufficiently near to take
this as showing that sixteen ideal plates will be
required.

Answer: 16 ideal plates