Fenske-Underwood-Gilliland (FUG)

Method
Overview
Fenske-Underwood-Gilliland
Method
● An empirical iterative method
for solving multicomponent
separation problems.
● Widely used for making
preliminary designs and
optimization of simple
distillation.
Degree of Freedom [insert the equation table]
Degree of Freedom [insert the equation table]

2N + C + 9
Selection of Two ● Assume all light non-keys are at the top and
all heavy non-keys at the bottom
Key Components
● Compute flow rates using component and
Key Components: components with
mass balances
specified distillate and bottoms fractional
recoveries F=L+V
● Light Key: relatively volatile, goes to ziF = xiL + yiV
top
● Heavy Key: relatively non-volatile, goes
to bottoms ● Compute Tdew for top and Tbubble for bottom
● Non-keys: all the rest
Selection of Two Key Components
Column Operating ● Column pressure is fixed before
the design equations are solved
Pressure
● If outcome is unsatisfactory, a
new pressure is assumed
○ Calculations become iterative

● Once pressure is established,

column feed can be flashed
adiabatically
○ Feed phase conditions can be
determined
Fenske

● Used to determine minimum equilibrium

stages

● All vapor leaving stage N is condensed

and returned as reflux, and all liquid
leaving stage 1 is vaporized and returned
as boilup

● Assume no heat losses

○ Heat input to reboiler = heat output from
condenser

● VN-1 = LN and yi, N-1 = xi, N

Fenske ● For component i, at stage 1

yi,1 = Ki,1xi,1 (1)

● For passing streams

yi,1 = xi,2 (2)

● Combining (1) and (2)

xi,2 = Ki,1xi,1 (3)

● For component i, at stage 2

yi,2 = Ki,2xi,2 (4)

Fenske ● Combining (3) and (4)

yi,2 = Ki,2Ki,1xi,1 (5)

● Extending (5) for components i and j

yi,N = Ki,NKi,N-1…Ki, 2Ki,1xi,1 (6)

yj,N = Kj,NKj,N-1…Kj, 2Kj,1xj,1 (7)

● Dividing (6) by (7) yields

yi,N/yj,N = αNαN-1...α2α1(xi,1/xj,1) (8)

Or

(xi,N+1/xi,1)(xj,1/xj,N+1) = 𝚷 αk (9)
Fenske ● Equation 9 simplifies to

(xi,N+1/xi,1)(xj,1/xj,N+1) = αN (10)

Or

(11)

● A more convenient form of equation 11 is

(12)

(13)
Example 9.2 (Seader)

For the debutanizer shown in Figure 9.3, (Figure 9.3)

estimate the Nmin by the Fenske equation.
Assume a uniform operating pressure of
80 psia (552 kPa) throughout and utilize
the ideal K-values given by Bachelor [4] as
plotted in Figure 9.5.

Additional given:

● Temperature at top = 123 F

● Temperature at bottom = 340 F
Example 9.2 (Seader)

(Table of Ex. 9.2)

Fenske ● Fenske equation also works for nonkey
components
Nonkey components ● Nmin can be used to solve product molar
flow rates d and b for all components
● Let i = nonkey component and r = reference
component (the HK)

(14)

● Substituting fi = di + bi into (14) gives

(15)

(16)
Example 9.3 (Seader)

Estimate the product distributions for

nonkey components by the Fenske
equation for the conditions of
example 9.2

Additional information given:

● Mean relative volatility of all
nonkey components relative to
iC5
Example 9.3 (Seader)
Example 9.3 (Seader)
Underwood ●
●
Used in obtaining minimum reflux
For an ideal solution at minimum
reflux
○ There is a constant-composition zone
that bridges the feed stage
○ All vapor and liquid streams have
compositions identical to flashed feed
○ This zone constitutes a single pinch
point
● Multicomponent systems separation
○ Class 1: 1 pinch point
○ Class 2: 2 pinch points
Underwood

Overall component balance (Figure 9.7)

yi,∞V∞= xi,∞L∞ + xi,DD (17)

Overall mass balance

V∞ = L∞ + D (18)

Phase-equilibrium relation
yi,∞ = Ki,∞xi,∞ (19)

Combining 17 and 19; and substituting Ki,∞/Kj,∞ =

(ɑi,j)∞ gives internal reflux ratio at pinch point

(20)
Underwood ● Flashed feed composition = pinch-zone
composition
Class 1 Separation ○ Therefore, xi, ∞ = xi, F
● To get the internal reflux ratio, equation 20
becomes

(21)

● Can be applied to subcooled liquid or

superheated vapor feeds
● Applies to components other than key
components
● Distribution of nonkey components is given by

(22)
Underwood ● For all nonkey components

Class 1 Separation
● If the above holds, then the external reflux ratio
is given by

(23)

● For constant molar overflow

(Rmin)external = (L∞)min/D
Example 9.4 (Seader)

Calculate the minimum internal reflux for Example

9.2 assuming a Class 1 separation. Check the
validity of this assumption.

Additional information:
At 180 F
KLK = 1.93
KHK = 1
KnC5 = 0.765
Liquid feed = 759.4 lbmol/hr
Underwood ● Equation 20 cannot be directly used to compute
internal minimum reflux ratio
Class 2 Separation ● To overcome this, Underwood defined a
quantity ϕ for the rectifying section

(24)

● For the stripping section, ϕ’ is defined by

(25)

● Assumptions; gives
○ Alpha values are constant in the region between
the pinch points
○ constant molar overflow between feed and
rectifying section, and feed and stripping section,

(L’∞)min - (L∞)min = qF (26)

Underwood ●
●
One common root exists between (24) and (25)
Equation 24 is analogous to
Class 2 Separation
(27)

Absorption factor:

● Manipulating equations (24) and (25) and

utilizing the component balance gives

(28)

Where

αLK,HK > θ > 1

● To solve for internal reflux ratio, (24) is modified

(29)
Underwood ● External reflux ratio can be computed using

Class 2 Separation
(23)

● And the compositions from pinch point are

given by
yi,∞V∞= xi,∞L∞ + xi,DD
(17)

(30)

Where 𝛉 is the roots of (28) that satisfy (αHNK,r)∞ > θ > 0

● For stripping section, use components at the

bottoms and replace (R∞)min with
(R’∞)min = L’∞/B
Example 9.5 (Seader)

Repeat Example 9.4 assuming a Class 2 separation

and using the Underwood equations.

Additional information

- Assume the only distributing nonkey

component is n-pentane
- q = 0.8666
Example 9.5 (Seader)

θ1 = 1.04504
θ2 = 0.78014
(Solved using a Newton method)

Because distillate rates for nC4 and iC4 are

specified, the following form of equation 29 is
preferred
(32)

With restriction
(33)

*Assume xi,DD = 0 for species heavier than nC5, iC4 =

12 lbmol/h
Gilliland
Correlation
An empirical formula that provides
an approximate relationship between
number of stages and reflux ratio to
provide an optimal reflux ratio
Example 9.6 (Seader)

Use the Gilliland correlation to estimate the Additional information

equilibrium stage requirement for the
● Use distillate rate of 469.56 lbmol/hr
debutanizer of Examples 9.1, 9.2, and 9.5 for an
● Nmin = 8.88, Rmin = 0.479
external reflux of 379.6 lbmol/h.
Feed Stage Location Using Kirkbride Equation:

Using Fenske Equation:

Assume the ratio of stages above the feed

to stages below the feed is the same as the
ratio determined by simply applying the Comparison of different methods:
Fenske equation to the separate sections at
total reflux conditions

*Only for fairly symmetrical feeds and

separations
Example 9.7 (Seader)

Use the Kirkbride equation to determine the

feed-stage location for the debutanizer,
assuming 18.27 equilibrium stages.
Distribution of
Nonkey
Components at
Actual Reflux
Distribution of (Figure 9.14)

Nonkey
Components at
Actual Reflux
Thank you!