Types of Distillation

Types of distillation include simple distillation, Steam Distillation, Fractional Distillation and
Vacuum Distillation.

Simple Distillation
Simple distillation can be used when the boiling points of two liquids are notably different from
one another or to separate liquids from solids or nonvolatile mixers. In simple distillation, a mix
is heated to change the foremost volatile component from a liquid into vapor. The vapor rises
and passes into a condenser. Usually, the condenser is cooled (e.g., by running cold water
around it) to market condensation of the vapor, which is collected.

Steam Distillation
Steam distillation is employed to separate heat-sensitive components. Steam is added to the
mixture, causing a number of it to vaporize. This vapor is cooled and condensed into two
different liquid fractions. Sometimes the fractions are collected separately, or they’ll have
different density values, in order that they separate on their own. An example is steam
distillation of flowers to yield volatile oil and a water-based distillate.

Fractional Distillation
Fractional distillation is employed when the boiling points of the components of a mix are near
to each other, as determined using Raoult’s law. A fractionating column is employed to
separate the components using a series of distillations called rectification. In fractionation , a
mix is heated so vapor rises and enters the fractionating column. because the vapor cools, it
condenses on the packing of the column. the warmth of rising vapor causes this liquid to
vaporize again, moving it along the column and eventually yielding a better purity sample of the
more volatile component of the mixture.

Vacuum Distillation
Vacuum distillation is employed to separate components that have high boiling points.
Lowering the pressure of the equipment also lowers boiling points. Otherwise, the method is
comparable to other types of distillation. Vacuum distillation is especially useful when the
conventional boiling point exceeds the decomposition temperature of a compound.

Gas Absorption Process

Gas Absorption Process:– In the Absorption process, we have a feed which is a mixture of
various gases. This Gas mixture is contacted with a liquid which is called a solvent. When the
contact takes place, mass transport of the component or components of interest takes place
from the Gas phase to the Liquid phase. Absorption is a Gas-Liquid operation.
When any two phases are contacted with each other and if both the phases contain some
components then practically all the components will get distributed in such a way that there
will be some amount of each component in both the phases. If we contact a Gas phase and a
Liquid phase then it is possible that not only components are transported from Gas phase to
Liquid phase but also from Liquid phase to Gas phase; this is minimized or eliminated in
absorption process by choosing an appropriate solvent which is pure and low in volatility.
Equilibrium Solubility of Gases in Liquid
Suppose we have a Liquid which fills a closed space partially, we fill the rest of the space with a
Gas and allow them to contact each other. Assuming only Gas dissolves in the Liquid and the
Liquid has negligible volatility; the process of mass transfer will occur inside the closed space.

Depending on the temperature of the system, not all gas will get dissolved in the liquid, only a
specific amount of gas will get dissolved in the liquid. This specific amount of the dissolved gas
when expressed in units of concentration or composition at a given temperature is called
equilibrium solubility of the gas in liquid.

If we increase the temperature of the system then the kinetic energy of the molecules will
increase, it means the activity of motion between the molecules will increase, this will cause
some Gas molecules to get escaped from the Liquid. Thus, an increase in temperature increase
the solubility of the Gas in Liquid and a decrease in temperature decreases the solubility of Gas
in Liquid. This effect is seen in the Figure.
After the mass transfer is finished for this case of changed temperature, the new solubility
value will be different than before.
The solubility value is also called as equilibrium value. An equilibrium curve for a particular
temperature is obtained by varying the amount or pressure of the Gas and determining how
much of the Gas has dissolved in the liquid.

Batch Distillation Process

Batch Distillation Process is also called as Differential Distillation or Rayleigh Distillation.

As the name indicates, this type of distillation is a batch process and not a continuous process.
The Figure 1 setup consists of a container where a fixed quantity of the liquid mixture is fed
initially. This container is called still pot. Energy in the form of heat is input in the system by
passing steam through a steam coil. Saturated steam enters at one end and the steam
condensate pours out from the other end. A run may last from few hours to several days.
Usually it is used when batches have to be completed in eight to sixteen hours.
 2. T-XY
Diagram ( Batch Distillation Process )

Figure 2 is called a temperature-composition diagram at a constant pressure of an arbitrary

binary liquid mixture. It shows the distribution of components when the mixture exists in a
vapour-liquid equilibrium. If the liquid mixture in the still pot has just begun to boil then it will
be represented by point B in the Figure 2. The little amount of vapour which will be produced
will have a composition corresponding to point C.
If this little amount of vapour will be taken and condensed then the product obtained will be
richest in more volatile component. This small amount of product obtained will not be feasible
when the overall process is considered hence the liquid mixture in the still pot is allowed to boil
further.
If the temperature of the liquid in the still pot increases some more then according to the
Figure 2 we enter into the vapour-liquid envelope. It means the material inside the still pot is a
vapour liquid mixture at this temperature.
Suppose we increase the temperature to T2, then the liquid phase composition is given by point
D and vapour phase composition is given by point E. The composition at point E is smaller than
point C it means the more volatile component in the vapour phase has become leaner. The
changes are taking place deferentially and the vapour phase compositions are successively
averaged with each differential step in boiling.
It is also to be noted that the more volatile component is becoming leaner in the liquid phase
and richer in less volatile component as the boiling is continued.
The boiling process is not continued until the point H is reached as the point H indicates that
last drop of liquid is remaining. A residual height of liquid mixture is Figure 2: T-xy diagram
always maintained in the still pot because boiling it completely will make the composition of
vapour same as the liquid composition we started with, initially.
The goal is to get the more volatile component in richer composition in the vapour phase as
compared to the liquid phase.
The vapour is passed through a condenser where it is condensed and is collected into a
receiver. Usually it happens that many receivers are used during the entire operation with the
purpose of collecting more volatile component in different levels of purity referred to as cuts.

What Is Distillation?

What Is Distillation?
Distillation is a process in which a liquid mixture of volatile components is separated by
imparting energy to it in consideration with the boiling points of the components so that
selective vaporization takes place. This process can also be used in reverse to selectively
condense the vapour mixture.

Suppose we have to boil only one component, one way to do it is to impart energy to it in form
of heat at a constant pressure. The temperature of the pure component will continue to
increase and when the system reaches a particular temperature corresponding to the pressure
called saturation temperature, the vaporisation begins. The temperature of the system remains
constant until whole vaporisation is complete.

Now suppose we have a liquid mixture of two components. If we attempt to boil the mixture by
increasing its temperature at a constant pressure we will find that the liquid mixture does not
boil at a single temperature but at a range of temperatures. In the figure the range between B
and H corresponds to temperature range of an arbitrary mixture.

When the liquid mixture is vaporized, some fraction exists as a vapour phase and rest of the
fraction is liquid phase. Ideally, the composition of vapour phase and liquid phase should be
different from each other. The T-xy diagram of a particular liquid mixture tells us the
composition of the vapour phase and liquid phase at a particular temperature at constant
pressure. If we have a binary mixture then T-xy diagrams are constructed in terms of the more
volatile component. T indicates temperature; x indicates liquid phase composition of the more
volatile component; y indicates vapour phase composition of the more volatile component.

Suppose we have a mixture whose current state is given by point A, state means the
corresponding value of T, x and y. In the T-xy diagram any state which lies below the bubble
point curve is completely liquid and any state which lies above the dew point curve is
completely a vapour.

If we start heating the liquid mixture, its temperature will keep on increasing; the composition
of mixture will stay constant until it reaches the point B. At this point we will obtain a little
quantity of vapour. If we draw a constant temperature line T1 passing the point B, it will cut the
dew point curve at point C, it gives the vapour phase composition. The liquid phase
composition is given by point B.
If we will continue to increase the temperature more and more vapour will form, the system
exists in a vapour-liquid equilibrium. Suppose we reach a point T2, The point D gives
information of liquid phase composition of more volatile component and point E gives the
information of vapour phase composition of more volatile component. The line drawn between
point D and point E is called a tie line and point F is called a mixture point.
One important thing to be noted here is that as we continue to increase the temperature, the
composition of vapour phase becomes leaner and leaner with respect to the more volatile
component.
If we will continue to increase the temperature we will reach point H after some time. This is
the point at which last drop of liquid is remaining and rest all have converted to vapour. When
this point is crossed the last drop evaporates.
If we will continue to increase the temperature the composition will not change, the
composition that this vapour phase has is same as the liquid phase we started with.
Essentially, in distillation we try to capture the vapour when it is richer in more volatile
component and then condense the vapour to get a liquid which is richer in more volatile
component. Several methods of distillation have been developed to do this properly and
efficiently.
The entire process can be done in reverse with a complete vapour phase as well.

Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG)

Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG)

Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG)

Heat recovery steam generators are equipments which are used to extract heat from process
gas or a waste gas streams and use that heat to convert liquid water into steam in order to use
that steam in some other process or the HSRG is made part of a power generation unit where it
uses the heat from the exhaust gases of turbines to convert liquid water into steam for use in
the same power cycle. HRSG is basically a heat exchanger which has very high efficiency.

A HRSG system is made up of three major components; the economizer, the evaporator and the
superheater. These components are arranged accordingly on order to get a highly efficient
thermal exchange system. In some applications, a selective catalyst reduction (SCR) unit is
installed with the HRSG in order to reduce the nitrogen content oxide in the exhaust gases of
HRSG.

Working of HRSG
HSRG is essentially a large structure of network of pipes. The water is made to flow through the
pipes and the hot gases are made to contact the pipes from the other side. The water and the
hot gases are separated by the solid boundaries of the pipe material. The pipes are provided
with extended fins in order to increase the effective heat transfer area.

The water is first passed through the economizer from where it passes through evaporator and
then to superheater. The hot gases first come in contact with the superheater and then with
evaporator and then with economizer. The temperature of the superheater section is highest in
the system because it is the closest to the input of hot gases. The temperature of the
economizer is the lowest among the three major components because it is farthest from the
hot gases input.

The liquid water is fed in to the economizer, the function of economizer is to preheat the liquid
before it passes to the evaporator section. The preheated liquid water then passes to the
evaporator tubes where enough heat exchange occurs for the liquid water to get converted
into steam. The steam may be saturated in nature hence it is passed to the superheater section
where the temperature of steam increases so much that it becomes a superheated steam from
a saturated steam. This superheated steam is then output from the HRSG system and then
passed down the line to the next equipment in the process wherever it is required.

Selective Catalyst Reduction (SCR)

The HRSG has one more outlet which corresponds to the hot gas input. The gases cool down to
a certain extent before exiting the system. If the HRSG is being used in a power cycle then the
hot gases are the exhaust of the turbine. They contain nitrogen oxides which need to be
neutralized before leaving the gas to disperse in atmosphere.

The nitrogen oxide gases are considered pollutants and global warming gases, they can cause
irritation and inflammation of they are present in high quantities in the airways. They are
responsible for formation of ground level ozone and also they react to form smog and acid rain.
A unit called selective catalyst reduction (SCR) is installed in applications which contain nitrogen
oxides as one of the components. The SCR unit contains ammonia which are used to react with
and neutralize the nitrogen oxides. After the hot gases serve their purpose of exchanging heat
and converting water to steam, they are mixed with sufficient ammonia in order to follow the
safety norms before releasing the gases to the atmosphere.

Classification of HRSG
They are classified based on the direction of flow of exhaust gases and the number of pressure
levels involved.

 Based on direction of exhaust gases: they are classified into horizontal and vertical type. In
horizontal type, the gases flow horizontally over vertical tubes. In vertical type, the gases
flow vertically over the horizontal tubes.
 Based on the number of pressure level: they are classified as single pressure and multi
pressure. In single pressure system the steam is generated in a single steam drum at one
pressure level. In multi pressure systems the steam is generated in multiple steam drum,
each drum operating at a different pressure level ranging from low pressure to high
pressure.
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Azeotropic Distillation Process

Azeotropic Distillation Process:– Distillation is a process in which a liquid mixture of volatile

components is separated by imparting energy to it in consideration with the boiling points of
the components so that selective vaporization takes place. Whenever vapours of a mixture are
produced the vapours are relatively richer in more volatile components compared to the liquid
mixture. It means the composition of the more volatile components in the vapour phase have
higher values than the more volatile components present in the liquid phase.
At times, for some selection of components to form the liquid mixture, while boiling the liquid
mixture a point may reach when we see that the value of composition of each component in
the vapour phase will be equal to the value of the composition of the each same component in
the liquid phase. When such mixtures will be boiled further they will not produce any change in
the composition of the components in vapour or liquid phase, meaning the compositions will
remain constant. Such mixtures are called Azeotropes. The azeotropes can’t be separated by
simple distillation process.

what is Azeotropic Distillation ?

Azeotropic distillation techniques are range of techniques which are used to separate the
azeotrope in a distillation column. Most commonly this is done by adding a foreign material
into the azeotropic mixture. Often Pressure swing technique is used and also sometimes
reactive distillation is used in order to separate an azeotrope.

Adding a Material to the Mixture

The azeotropes can be either of two types; minimum boiling azeotropes or maximum boiling
azeotropes. Minimum boiling azeotropes show positive deviations from raoult’s law and
maximum boiling azeotropes show negative deviations from raoult’s law. Minimum boiling
azeotropes boil at relatively low temperatures and maximum boiling azeotropes boil at
relatively high temperature.

What is Azeotropic Mixture ?

In azeotropic distillation, a foreign material is added to the azeotropic mixture. This material is
called an entrainer and usually it is used in small quantities. The entrainer is specifically selected
to be of such nature that when it interacts with the azeotrope mixture it will alter it such that
the entrainer will form a new azeotrope, a low boiling azeotrope with one of the component of
the azeotrope.
It means when the mixture will be boiled then this newly formed low boiling azeotrope will
move out of the system from the top of the column and we will recover one of the components
of the original azeotrope as a bottoms product. This is the defining feature of azeotropic
distillation.
The choice of entrainer is very important because only a properly selected entrainer can alter
the molecular interactions of the azeotrope in order to eliminate it and will form a new low
boiling azeotrope with one of the components based on the polarity.
The entrainer selected must have the same volatility as the original azeotropic mixture to be
separated. The entrainer must be non-toxic, non-flammable for safety concerns. It is preferable
of it is cheap and easily available. Most importantly the entrainer selected must be easily
recoverable in order for the process to be economical.