MULTI PHASE

SYSTEMS
Chapter 6
Introduction
• Virtually all commercial processes involve operations in
which material is transferred from one phase (gas, liquid or
solid) into another;
• These multiphase operations include all phase-change
operations on a single species, such as freezing, melting,
evaporation, and condensation, and most separation
and purification processes, which are designed to
separate components of mixtures from one another;
• Most separations are accomplished by a feeding mixture
of species A and B into a two phase system under
conditions such that most of the A remains in its original
phase and most B transfers into a second phase.
• The two phases then either separate themselves under
the influence of gravity-as when gases and liquid or two
immiscible liquids separate-or are separated with the
aid of a device such as filter or skimmer;
• Here are some examples of multiphase separation
processes;
• Brewing a cup of coffee;
• Removal of sulfur dioxide from a gas stream;
• Recovery of methanol from an aqueous solution;
• Separation of parraffinic and aromatic hydrocarbons;
• Separation of an isomeric mixture;
Gas-Liquid Systems: One Condensable
Components
• Systems containing several components, of which only
one is capable of existing as a liquid at the process
conditions, are common in industrial processes;
• Separation processes that involve such systems include
evaporation, drying and humidification-all of which
involve transfer of liquid into the gas phase-and
condensation and dehumidification, which involve
transfer of the condensable species from the gas to the
liquid phase.
Raoult’s Law (Single Condensable Species)
• A law that describes the behavior of gas-liquid systems
over a wide range of conditions the desired relationships;
• If a gas at temperature T and pressure P contains a
saturated vapor* whose mole fraction is yi (mol
vapor/mol total gas), and if this vapor is the only species
that would condense if the temperature were slightly
lowered, then the partial pressure of the vapor in the gas
equals the pure-component vapor pressure p*i(T) at the
system temperature;
Raoult’s Law
•  *Saturated vapor- a condensable vapor at its dew point^
in a non condensable gas; (himmelbleau);
• ^dew point-the temperature at which the vapor just
begins to condense at a specified pressure, namely the
temperature values along the vapor pressure
curves(himmelbleau).

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Saturation-Humidity
• Several quantities beside those introduced in the previous
section are commonly used to described the state and
composition of a gas containing a single condensable
vapor;
• In definitions to be given, the term saturation refers to
any gas-vapor combination, while humidity refers
specifically to an air-water system;
• Suppose a gas at temperature T and pressure P contains
a vapor whose partial pressure is pi and whose vapor
pressure is pi*(T);
Test yourself (p.254)
• The vapor pressure of styrene is 100 mm Hg at 82◦C and
200 mm Hg at 100◦C. A gas that consists of 10 mole %
styrene and 90 mole % non condensable is contained in a
tank at 100◦C and 1000 mm Hg. Calculate:
• 1. the dew point of the gas
• 2. The relative saturation.
• 3. The molal saturation and percentage saturation.
Problem I (Felder) no.6.13/p283
• The latest weather report includes the following
statement: “The temperature is 78◦F, barometric pressure
is 29.9 inches, and the relative humidity is 87%.” From
this information, estimate the mole fraction of water in the
air and the dew point (◦F), molal humidity, absolute
humidity, and percentage humidity of the air.
Saturation
• When any non condensable gas (or a gaseous mixture)
comes in contact with a liquid. If contact is maintained for a
sufficient period of time, vaporization continues until
equilibrium is attained at which time the partial pressure
of the pressure of the vapor in the gas will equal the
vapor pressure of the liquid at the temperature of the
system.
• At equilibrium, the rate of vaporization is equal to the
rate of condensation: therefore, the amount of liquid and
the amount of vapor remains constant.
• As a result, regardless of the duration of contact between
the liquid and gas, after equilibrium is reached no more net
liquid will vaporize into the gas phase;
Saturation
• The gas is then said to be saturated with the particular
vapor at the given temperature;
• We also say that the gas mixture is at its dew point.
• The dew point for the mixture of pure vapor and non
condensable gas means the temperature at which the
vapor just starts to condense.
• At the dew point the partial pressure of the vapor is the
vapor pressure.
Self assessment test (Himmelblau)p 513
• Problem no 1:The dew point of water in atmospheric air
is 82◦F. What is the mole fraction of water vapor in the air
if the barometric pressure is 750 mmHg.
• Problem no 3:Calculate the composition in mol fraction of
air that is saturated with water vapor at a total pressure of
100kPa and 21◦C.
• Problem no 5:An 8.00-liter cylinder contains a gas
saturated with water vapor at 25.0◦C and a pressure of
770 mm Hg. What is the volume of the gas when dry at
standard conditions?
Condensation
• Condensation is the change of vapor (in a non
condensable gas) to liquid.
• Some typical ways of condensing a vapor in a gas phase
are:
• Cool it at constant system total pressure (the volume changes, of
course);
• Cool it at constant total system volume (the pressure changes);
• Compress it isothermally (the volume changes);
• Combinations of the three as well as other processes are possible,
of course.
Problem II (Felder) no.6.15 p. 283
• Air at 50% relative humidity is cooled isobarically at 1 atm
absolute from 90◦C to 25◦C.
• (a) Estimate the dew point and degrees of superheat of
air at 90◦C.
• (b) How much water condenses (mol) per cubic meter of
feed gas?
• (c) Suppose a sample of the 90◦C air is put in a closed
variable volume chamber containing a mirror and the
pressure is raised at constant temperature until a mist
forms on the mirror. At what pressure (atm) would the mist
form? (Assume ideal gas behavior)
Seatwork: 5 points each
• Problem 1: A large chamber contains dry N2 at 27◦C and 101.3 kPa.
Water is injected into the chamber. After saturation of the N 2 with
water vapor, the temperature in the chamber is 27◦C.)
• (a) What is the pressure inside the chamber after saturation?
• (b) How many moles of H2O per mole of N2 are present in the saturated mixture?
• Problem 2: The vapor pressure of hexane (C6H14) at -20◦C is 14.1
mm Hg absolute. Dry air at this temperature is saturated with the
vapor under a total pressure of 760 mm Hg. What is the percent
excess air for combustion?
• Problem 3: What is the dew point of a mixture of air and water
vapor at 60◦C and 1 atm in which the mole fraction of the air is 12%.
The total pressure on the mixture is constant.
• Problem 4: A room contains 12,000 ft3 of air at 75◦F and 29.7 in Hg
absolute. The air has a dew point of 60◦F. How many pounds of
water vapor are in the air.
Assignment: Problems Chapter 6
• 6.11;
• 6.12;
• 6.13;
• 6.16;
• 6.17;