EQUIPMENT DESIGN : DEBUTANIZER

Distillation is probably the most widely used separation process in the chemical and allied industries; its application ranging from the rectification of alcohol, which has been practiced since antiquity to the fractionation of crude oil. DISTILLATION COLUMN DESIGN 1. The design of a distillation column can be divided into the following steps,specify the degree of separation required: set product specification. 2. Select the operating conditions: batch or continuous; operating pressure 3. Select the type of contenting device: plates or packing. 4. Determine the stage and reflux requirements: the number of equilibrium stages. 5. Size the column: diameter, number of real stages 6. Design the column internals: plates, distributors, packing supports. 7. Mechanical design: vessel and internal fittings The principal step will be to determine the stage and reflux requirements. This is a relatively simple procedure when the feed is a binary mixture, but a complex and difficult task when the feed is a binary mixture, but a complex and difficult task when the feed contains more than two components (multicomponent systems). CONTINUOUS DISTILLATION PROCESS DESCRIPTION: The separation of liquid mixtures by distillation depends on differences in volatility between the components. The greater the relative volatilities, the easier the separation. Vapors flows up the column and liquid counter-currently down the column. The vapors and liquid are brought into contact on plates, or packing. Part of the condensate from the condenser is returned to the top of the column to provide liquid

flow above the feed point (reflux), and part of the liquid from the base of the column is vaporized in the re-boiler and returned to provide the vapors flow. In the section below the feed, the more volatile components are stripped from the liquid and this is known as the stripping section. Above the feed, the concentration of the more volatile components is increased and this is called the enrichment, or more commonly, the rectifying section. If the process requirement is to strip a volatile component from a relatively nonvolatile solvent, the rectifying section may be omitted, and the column would then be called a stripping column. In some operations, where the top product is required as a vapor, only sufficient liquid is condensed to provide the reflux flow to the column, and the condenser is referred to as a partial condenser. When the liquid is totally condensed, the liquid returned to the column will have the same composition as the top product. In a partial condenser the reflux will be in in equilibrium with the vapor leaving the condenser. Virtually pure top and bottom products can be obtained in a single column from a binary feed, but where the feed contains more than two components, only a single "pure" product can he produced, either from the top or bottom of the column. Several columns will be needed to separate a multicomponent feed into its constituent parts. APROXIMATE COLUMN SIZING An approximate estimate of the overall column size can be made once the number of real stages required for the separation is known. This is often needed to make a rough estimate of the capital cost for project evaluation. PLATE SPACING The overall height of the column will depend on the plate spacing. Plate spacings from 0.15m (6 in.) to I m (36 in.) arc normally used. The spacing chosen will depend on the column diameter and operating conditions. Close spacing is used with small-

diameter columns, and where head room is restricted; as it will a column is installed in a building. For columns above I m diameter, plate spacing to 0.6 m will normally be used, and 0.5 m (18 in.) can be taken as an initial estimate. This would be revised. as necessary, when the detailed plate design is made. A larger spacing will be needed between certain plates to accommodate feed and side-streams arrangements, and for man-ways. COLUMN DIAMETER The principal factor that determines the column diameter is the vapor flow-rate. The vapour velocity must be below that which would cause excessive liquid entrainment or a high pressure drop. VALVE PLATES (FLOATING CAP PLATES) Valve plates are are proprietary designs. They are essentially sieve plates with largediameter holes covered covered by movable flaps, which lift as the vapor flow increases. As the area for vapor flow varies with the flow-rate, valve plates can operate efficiently at lower flow-rates than sieve plates; the valves closing as low vapor rates. SELECTION OF PLATE Sieve plates are the cheapest and are satisfactory for most applications. Valve plates should be considered if the specified turn-down ratio cannot cannot be rnet with sieve plates. Bubble-caps should only be used where very low vapor (gas) rates have to be handled and a positive liquid seal is essential at all flow-rates.

DISTILLATION COLUMN DESIGN (Gas Concentration Unit)

Temperature = T avg = 130C = 726 R

Pressure = Pavg = 12.143 atm P = 0.345 atm Moleculer wt. (avg) = 52.7 kg/kg.mole Specific gravity of liquid = 0.58 Density of gas at standard conditions G = G = 1.24 lb/ft3 VM = Kv = 30 inches (for tray spacing) Kv = 0.35 (from plant design by Timmerhaus) Vm = Vm = 1.89 ft/sec A = 29.78 ft 2 Dia of tower = = A D = 1.65 ft No. of trays = 40 Space below the bottom plate and above the top plate = 8ft Tray spacing = 30 in = 2.5 ft

Total height = 2.5 x (40+8) = 108 ft Height = 33 m Reflux ratio = Ln/D =5 Plate Design DC = column diameter = 6.15 ft AC = Area of column = 29.78 ft2 AD = Down comer area = 0.11 x 29.78 = 3.276 ft 2 AN = Net area = Ac Ad = 26.5 Ft2 Active Area = Aa = AC 2Ad = 29.78 (2x 3.276) = 23.23 ft 2 Hole area = Ah =10% Aa =0.1 x 23.23 = 2.32ft2 At (Ad/AC) = 3.276 / 29.78 = 0.11 (From fig. 11.31 coulson vol. 6) Iw / Dc = 0.74 Iw = 0.74 x 6.15 Iw = 4.551 ft Assuming weir height = lw =5mm Hole diameter = 5mm Plate thickness = 5 mm No. of units :

Active area = Aa = 23.23 ft2 = 2.13 m2 For atandard we have 150 units /m2 No. of units = 150 x 2.13 = 320 No. of units = 320

DEBUTANIZER OVERHEAD REFLUX DRUM DESIGN:

FEED = 100122 Kg/hr = 220568.7 lb/ hr Specific gravity = 0.55 Density = 34.32 lb / ft3 Vol. Flow rate = 22.568.7 lb/hr x ft3/34.32 lb = 6426.82 ft3/ hr Assuming holdup time = 5 min (mostly) For 1 hr operation the drum handel: For 5 min drum handle = = 535.56 ft3 Assuming separator is half filled with liquid Total vol. of drum = 535.56 x 2 = 1071.12 ft3

Giving 20% allowance for variation in liquid rate Allowance = 1071.12 0.2 = 214.22 ft3

Actual vol. of drum = 1071.12 +214.22 = 1285.34 ft3 Volume = Area Length Volume = L Volume = 3D (L = 3D) Vol. = D3 x 0.75 D= D= Dia of drum = 8.17 ft L=3xD L = 24.5 ft Length of drum = 24.5 ft

Thickness of wall

Pressure = 11.11 Kg/cm2 P = 158 Psi Radius = R = 49.02 inch Material of construction = KCS

Tensile strength = = 13750 Psi Efficiency of Joint = EJ = 0.85 Corrosion allowance = Cc = 0.125 in t= t= t = 0.66 inch

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