BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY

BAHIR DAR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

FACULTY OF CHEMICAL AND FOOD ENGINEERING

Course Code and Name: ChEg6161: Petrochemical Process Technology

Prerequisites: none Academic Year:2017/2018 (2st Semester)
Target students: M.Sc. in Process Engineering
Instructor: Dr. Eng. Hundessa Contact hundessad@gmail.com
Dessalegn Email:

General Instructions

i. List assumptions you have made,

ii. Use schematics and show calculation steps wherever necessary.
iii. Please do number your answer script properly

1. Rigorous, computer-based methods for multicomponent distillation are

readily available in process simulators. Why, then, is the FUG method
still useful and widely applied for distillation?

2. When calculating multicomponent distillation, why is it best to list the

components in order of decreasing volatility? In such a list, do the two
key components have to be adjacent?

3. The following feed mixture is to be separated by ordinary distillation at

120 psia to obtain 92.5 mol% of the nC4 in the liquid distillate and 82.0
mol% of the iC5 in the bottoms.

i. Estimate Nmin by the Fenske equation.

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 ii. Use the Fenske equation to determine the distribution of nonkey
components between distillate and bottoms
iii. Assume that the feed is at its bubble point, use the Underwood
method to estimate Rmin.
iv. Determine N by the Gilliland correlation assuming R/Rmin=1.2, a
partial reboiler, and a total condenser.
v. Estimate feed-stage location.

Use the SRK equation of state and bubble point equation to determine
K-values.

4. Nmin=15 at 250 psia, calculate and plot the percent recovery of C3 in the
distillate as a function of distillate flow rate for the distillation of 1,000
lbmol/h of a feed containing by moles: 3% C2, 20% C3, 37% nC4 ,35%
nC5, and 5% nC6. Obtain K-values from nomograms

5. One thousand kmol/h of a saturated-liquid mixture of 60 mol%

methanol, 20 mol% ethanol, and 20 mol% n-propanol is fed to the middle
stage of a distillation column having three equilibrium stages, a total
condenser, a partial reboiler, and an operating pressure of 1 atm. The
distillate rate is 600 kmol/h, and the external reflux rate is 2,000 kmol/h
of saturated liquid. Assuming ideal solutions with K-values from vapor
pressures and constant-molar overflow such that the vapor rate leaving
the reboiler and each stage is 2,600 kmol/h, calculate one iteration of the
BP method up to and including a new set of Tj values. To initiate the
iteration, assume a linear-temperature profile based on a distillate
temperature equal to the normal boiling point of methanol and a bottoms
temperature equal to the arithmetic average of the normal boiling points
of the other two alcohols.

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