A. Decanter 0.

09

Solute mole outlet frac

0.08
The compositions obtained are listed on 0.07
the table below. 0.06
0.05
Mole Mole 0.04
fraction fraction 0.03
Substance LIQUID 1 LIQUID 2 0.02
Carbon 0.01
tetrachloride 0,04 0,08 0
Acetic acid 0,54 0,06 1 3 5 7

Triethylamine 0,41 0,85 S/F

Figure 1a. Compositions for the outlet
streams for separation in a decanter.

On first instance, the distribution

coefficient for the operation is computed.
As one can see, the closer the solvent and
According to its mathematical definition,
feed fluxes are, the higher the solute
the distribution coefficient is given by the
fraction on the out-stream liquid phases.
quotient of the solute concentration on the
Thus, when the solvent is higher than the
stream with higher concentrations of
feed stream, the mole fraction will be
solvent and the solute concentration on
smaller, because whereas the amount of
the stream with higher concentrations of
solute is the same, the outlet currents will
diluent (Wankat,2012). Looking at the
be diluted by the large quantities of solvent
solvent fractions shown in table 1a, the
entering the system.
stream in which the solvent concentration
is higher is the liquid 2 phase. Thus, for As trials were carried out and the
this case, the distribution coefficient is relationship was set to S/F < 1, the liquid
defined as 2 phase disappeared. When the amount
of solvent fed to the separator is less than
the amount of mixture to be separated,
there won’t be enough solvent to produce
an out-stream current with high
Since 𝐾𝑑 > 1, the solute is said to prefer,
concentrations of solute, i.e. liquid 2
i.e. have a greater affinity towards the
phase.
solvent rather than the diluent (Kolthoff et
al., 1979). Thus, the operation would be Inlet concentrations were modified while
successful if carried out the way it was S/F = 1 remained constant in order to find
simulated. the optimum feed concentration for the
system. The obtained plot isas show
Once that the chemical affinity of the
below.
solute towards the solvent has been
verified, the S/F relation is changed within
different trials to acknowledge its effect on
separation. For that purpose, the solvent-
feed relation is plotted against the outlet
solute concentrations on both liquid 1 and
liquid 2 phases. The plot is shown below.
 0.25

Solute mole outler frac

0.2
0.15
0.1
This increase on the distribution
0.05 coefficient may occur when the inlet
0 concentration increases, but since the
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 feed conditions remained the same, it is
zi the mass transfer process to blame.
Columns provide a better contact within
the liquids, and likewise, the
countercurrent operation not only
promotes but also enhances that contact
From these trials one could say that (Wankat, 2012). Considering that the
working at low inlet concentrations will distribution coefficient is “the ratio of the
produce a lower solute concentration amounts of solute dissolved in two
immiscible liquids at equilibrium” (Belloc,
liquid phases. Since concentrations are
1967), this definition is based upon the
relative to the total amount of substance
preexistence of a mass transfer process at
within each stream, when S/F is constant, small scale. Since the solute particles are
so will be the volumes of solvent and moving from the diluent to the solvent not
diluent and since the inlet quantity of only by a concentration gradient as a
solvent is increasing, so will the outlet driving force but also by means of being
fractions. forced to move by the mechanical effects
of having a velocity and by the intimate
It is worth highlighting that once the S/F contact that takes place on the plates, the
became equal or higher than 0,5, the liquid distribution coefficient is significantly
2 phase disappeared. higher than the one computed for the
decanter, where this contact doesn’t
B. Countercurrent in column
happen at this level.
The same process as the past literal is
simulated, but this time on a The variation of the S/F relation was
countercurrent column with two studied as well and the same behavior
equilibrium stages. The compositions was observed; for S/F < 0,5, the liquid 2
obtained are listed on the table below. phase disappeared. It was also found that
a relation of S=0,8F for S=10 kmol/h will
Mole Mole provide the higher outlet concentrations
fraction fraction for an inlet mixture with 0,1 mole fraction
Substance LIQUID 1 LIQUID 2
of carbon tetrachloride in a countercurrent
Carbon operating column. The plot for the relation
tetrachloride 0,03 0,12
and the outlet concentration is shown
Acetic acid 0,56 0,08 below.
Triethylamine 0,41 0,80

This time the distribution coefficient turns

out to be higher, as shown below.
 0.2

Oulet solute concentration 0.15

0.1

0.05

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6
S/F

Finally, the effect of the inlet concentration

was studied to obtain the same graph
behavior as the one for the decanter
system. Nevertheless, to obtain the same
outlet concentration as that obtained in the
decanter, (i.e. 0,23) on countercurrent
column operation, a lower initial
concentration is required. This can be
seen on the following graph.

0.25
Outlet solute mole frac

0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
zi

This behavior corresponds to the higher

efficiency of the column regarding
equilibrium contact as mentioned before.