Institut für Verfahrenstechnik THERMISCHE VERFAHRENSTECHNIK I

Exercise 11: Multicomponent distillation

(Fenske, Underwood, Gilliland)

Assignment date: Due date:

Assignment 1
A mixture Benzene (1) / Toluene (2) with a mole fraction xF,1= 0.4 should be
separated in a plate column in a distillate (D) and a Bottoms stream (B) with mole
fraction resp. xD,1= 0.96 and xB,1=0.04. The constant of relative volatility α of the
mixture, whose behavior can be considered ideal, is 2.42. The column operates with
a reflux ratio R=1.3 Rmin and the feed enters the column at the boiling point
(saturated liquid).
a) Calculate the minimum number of stages Nmin and the minimum reflux Rmin
applying the Fenske and Underwood equations.
b) Determine the theoretical number of stages, using both the Gilliland diagram and
the Molokanov’s correlation.

Fig.1: Diagram of Gilliland

nth = theoretical number of stages
nth, min = minimum number of stages (for v = ∞)
v = reflux ratio
vmin = minimum reflux ratio (for nth = ∞)

TVT I - Prof. Marco Mazzotti

1 27.06.2005 -Exercise11_ss2005.doc
Institut für Verfahrenstechnik THERMISCHE VERFAHRENSTECHNIK I

Molokanov’s correlation:

N − N min ⎡⎛ 1 + 54.4Ψ ⎞⎛ Ψ − 1 ⎞⎤ R - R min

= 1 − exp ⎢⎜ ⎟⎜ 0.5 ⎟⎥ mit Ψ ≡
N +1 ⎣⎝ 11 + 117.2Ψ ⎠⎝ Ψ ⎠⎦ R +1

c) Calculate the position of the feed stage.

Assignment 2
A multicomponent distillation column should be designed in such a way, that a
concentrate stream of Ethane could be separated from a feed stream containing 6
hydrocarbons (hint: separation between Ethane and Propylene). Calculate the
required theoretical number of stages and the realistic number of stages when R =
1.25 ⋅ Rmin.

Separation requirements:
Mole fraction of Propylene in the Distillate: 0.025
Mole fraction of Ethane in the Bottoms: 0.050

Operating conditions:
Pressure: p = 27.3 bar
Feed quality: liquid at the boiling temperature (q = 1)
Average plate efficiency coefficient: E = 0.75

Feed composition:

Components in the Feed stream mol-% αFeed

Methane 5.0 7.356
Ethane (LK) 35.0 2.091
Propylene (HK) 15.0 1.000
Propane 20.0 0.901
i-Butane 10.0 0.507
n-Butane 15.0 0.408

TVT I - Prof. Marco Mazzotti

2 27.06.2005 -Exercise11_ss2005.doc
Institut für Verfahrenstechnik THERMISCHE VERFAHRENSTECHNIK I

Mole flow-rate for a Feed of 1 kmol/h:

Assumption: The non-key components are completely separated.

Feed Destillat Sumpfprodukt

in kmol/h in kmol/h in kmol/h

Methane
Ethane (LK)
Propylene (HK)
Propane
i-Butane
n-Butane

total: 1.00

TVT I - Prof. Marco Mazzotti

3 27.06.2005 -Exercise11_ss2005.doc