Chemical Engineering Equilibrium

Separations
Lectures 14
1
17 Oct 2012
Overview
2
AspenPlus:
o Shortcut methods: DSTWU
o Rigorous method: RADFRAC
Efficiencies
Introduction to multicomponent distillation (Chapter 9)
Multicomponent Distillation (Introduction)
3
In binary distillation we could specify x
D
and x
B
.
Now: define Key Components
Decreasing
Relative
Volatility Keys
1
2 Light
3 Heavy
4
Most of LK obtained in distillate product
Most of HK obtained in bottoms product
Today, most multicomponent systems are solved rigorous simulation.

But need to do shortcut methods to get good starting point (FUG-Kirkbride).
Multicomponent Shortcut Methods
4
Minimum number of stages: Fenske Equation
HK LK
Bot
LK
HK
Dist
HK
LK
x
x
x
x
N

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
o ln
ln
min
( )
3
1
Bot Feed Dist Bot Dist
or o o o o o o = =
o ln
1 1
ln
min
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|

=
Bot
HK
HK
Dist
LK
LK
FR
FR
FR
FR
N
Multicomponent Shortcut Methods
5
Minimum reflux ratio: Underwood Equation
1
,
,
,
,
min

(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|
=

HK LK
F HK
D HK
HK LK
F LK
D LK
Fz
Dx
Fz
Dx
F
L
o
o
Case A:
NKs dont
distribute
D
L
R
min
min
=
Case B & C: NKs distribute, or there is a sandwich NK: see Wankat;
numerical iterative procedures can be involved.
R = factor * R
min

Approximate number of equilibrium stages (N): Gilliland correlation
Gilliland Correlation
6
61 Data points over ranges:

1. No. components: 2 to 11
2. q : 0.28 to 1.42
3. P : vacuum to 42.4 bar
4. o : 1.11 to 4.05
5. R
min
: 0.53 to 9.09
6. N
min
: 3.4 to 60.3
Molokanov Eqn:
(

|
.
|

\
|

|
.
|

\
|
+
+
=
5 . 0
1
2 . 117 11
4 . 54 1
exp 1
X
X
X
X
Y
Seader & Henley, 2006
Multicomponent Shortcut Methods
7
Optimum feed stage location (N
F
): Kirkbride Equation
206 . 0
2
,
,
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
D
B
z
x
z
z
N
N
D HK
B LK
Feed
LK
HK
S
R
DSTWU (AspenPlus)
Uses Winn, Underwood, and Gilliland methods to find N
min
, R
min
, & N.
Specify LK and HK recoveries in the distillate product stream
If input -1.2 for reflux ratio; it finds N at R = 1.2 * R
min
.
N given by DSTWU is number of equilibrium stages (includes partial
condensers and/or partial reboilers)
In-Class Problem
8
SHORTY
FEED
D
B
benzene (17 mol%)
toluene (66 mol%)
m-xylene (17 mol%)
F = 100 kmol/s
satd liquid
1 atm
DSTWU
1.0135 bar Pi star [bar]
Component Tbp oC 80.1 oC 123 oC
Benzene 80.1 1.0135 3.217
Toluene 110.7 0.387 1.42
m-Xylene 139.1 0.151 0.645
In-Class Problem
9
In-Class Problem
10
In-Class Problem
11
In-Class Problem
12
By hand calculations first.

Then use to verify AspenPlus results
In-Class Problem
13
In-Class Problem
14
Homework Problem
15
SHORTY
FEED
D
B
benzene (17 mol%)
toluene (66 mol%)
m-xylene (17 mol%)
F = 100 kmol/s
satd liquid
1 atm
X
bz
= 99 mol%
X
bz
= 0.1 mol%
DSTWU
1.0135 bar Pi star [bar]
Component Tbp oC 80.1 oC 123 oC
Benzene 80.1 1.0135 3.217
Toluene 110.7 0.387 1.42
m-Xylene 139.1 0.151 0.645
Overview
16
AspenPlus:
o Shortcut methods: DSTWU
o Rigorous method: RADFRAC
Efficiencies
Introduction to multicomponent distillation (Chapter 9)