6P2X0: Separation technology

Distillation

Prof. dr. ir. Kitty Nijmeijer

Membrane Materials and Processes

Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry
Eindhoven University of Technology

Information in this lecture is taken from:

Industrial Separation Processes -
Fundamentals
André B. de Haan, Hans Bosch
2013, De Gruyter GmbH, ISBN 978-3-11-030669-9
 Recap: Continuous flash distillation

a12 x
y=
(a12 - 1) x + 1

KB KA
q = -z - (1 - z )
1- KB 1- KA

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 1

 From flash drums to a column
2.3 Multi

Fig. 2.10 General flowchart of a plate distillation column.

Although a significant advance, this multiple flash drum

industrially. Operation and design is easier if part of t
/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry condensed and returned to the first stage, reflux,
28-02-18 PAGE 2 and if p
stream is evaporated and returned to the bottom stage, boi
 From flash drums to a column

• Relative volatility: α > 1.2

• Feed at equilibrium stage
• Trays and packings to maximize
contact
• Number of stages N < 100
• Tmax = 300-400 oC (high pressure
steam)
• Tmin = 40-50 oC (coolant: water)
• Column pressure: 2 mbar < Ptot <
50 bar
• Temperature also determined by
pressure (P< → T<)
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 From flash drums to a column

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 4

 Continuous distillation

• Separation of F into D and B:

• Distillation separates a feed F into a
distillate D and a bottom B.

• For binary mixtures, F, D and B are

used for the mole fraction of the
most volatile component (xF, xD, xB).

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 5

 Mass balances
30 2 Evaporation and distillation

• If the molar enthalpy for vaporization

is equal for two components:
• Constant liquid and vapor flows

• No energy balance

• Mass balance and vapor-liquid

equilibrium are of importance.

Fig. 2.12 Distillation column overall mass balance envelope.

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry In binary distillation the specification of xDPAGE
28-02-18 and 6xB for the
nent fixes the distillate and bottoms flow rates D and B
 Mass balances
30 2 Evaporation and distillation

• Overall mass balance:

• F=D+B
• Mass balance volatile component
• xF . F = xD . D + xB . B

• If F and xF are known:

and
Fig. 2.12 Distillation column overall mass balance envelope.

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry In binary distillation the specification of xDPAGE
28-02-18 and 7xB for the
nent fixes the distillate and bottoms flow rates D and B
 Equilibrium curve

• Relative volatility:
g 1 P1sat K1 y/x
a12 = = =
g 2 P2sat
K 2 (1 - y ) / (1 - x )

• Equilibrium curve:
a12 x
y=
(a12 - 1) x + 1
• The equilibrium curve: relation between composition of
a liquid on a tray and the composition of the vapor with
which it is in equilibrium.
/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 8
 The equilibrium curve: from x to y

• The equation for the equilibrium curve

can be applied to every stage:

• And so on…

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 9

 Sections

• ‘Equal molar overflow’

• Rectifying section
• The flow rates of V’ and L’ are
constant.
• Feed section
• V’ and L’ are replaced by V’’ and
L’’.
• Stripping section
• The flow rates of V’ and L’ are
constant.
• Whilst flow rates are constant,
composition is not!
/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 10
 Operating line rectifying section

• Mole balance volatile

component (V’ and L’ constant):

• Operating line rectifying section:

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 11

 Operating line rectifying section

• Relationship between yn+1 and xn,

both on the same tray.
• Yields a straight line with slope L’/V’.
• The slope is always < 1.
• Because in the rectifying section:
V’>L’
• Passes through the point (xD, xD).
• Which occurs when y = x.

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 12

 Reflux ratio, R

• Reflux is necessary to remove the last traces of

high-boiling component from the overhead stream.
• External reflux ratio
• L’/D = R
• Internal reflux ratio
• L’/V’

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 13

 Reflux

• Because V’ = L’ + D, the operating line can be related

to the reflux ratio (R = L’/D):

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 14

 Reflux

• Using the expressions from the last slide, the operating

line for the rectifying section can be modified:

• Setting R is the freedom of the designer.

• A certain value of R results in fixed values of the slopes
of the operating lines (L’/V’ and L’’/V’’).

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 15

 Operating line rectifying section

• Operating line:
• Straight line
• Intercepts x = y at y = xD.
• xD and R may be chosen freely.

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 16

 Operating line stripping section

• Mole balance over total

section:

• Operating line stripping

section:

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 17

 Operating line stripping section

• Relationship between ym+1 and xm

• Yields a straight line with slope L’’/V’’.
• The slope is always > 1:
• Because in the stripping section: L’’>V’’
• Passes through the point (xB, xB).
• Which occurs when y = x.

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 18

 Operating line stripping section

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 19

 Operating lines

• Operating lines represent the mass balances in the

column.
• An increase or decrease in feed influences the slope
and point of interception of the operating lines.
• An increase in feed flow rate increases the liquid
flow rate in the stripping section and/or increases
the vapor flow rate in the rectifying section.
• Temperature and pressure influence the flow rates of
both liquid and vapor.
• This may be quantified by a mass balance over the feed
tray.

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 20

 From x to y to x to y…

a12 x
Equilibrium curve y= Operating line
(a12 - 1) x + 1

xB

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 21

 Feed stage: FL and Fv

L” = L’ + FL L
q=
FL = q.F F

L”-L’ = q.F L” = L’ + qF

V’ = V” + FV V
1− q =
Fv = (1-q).F F

V”-V’= -(1-q).F V” = V’ - (1-q)F

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 22

 Feed line: interception between the
operating lines
• Rectifying section:
• Stripping section:

• With L”-L’ = q*F

V”-V’= -(1-q)*F Because: F = D + B

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 23

 Feed line: interception between the
operating lines 34 2 Evaporation and distillation

• Straight line with slope –q/(1-q).

• Passes through the point (xF,xF).
• Which occurs when y = x.
• Graphically; the point of interception
between the operating lines.
Fig. 2.15 (a) Mass balance envelope and (b) q-line for the feed stage.
• When R is changed, the point of
interception shifts, but it will never leave
the q-line. Fh + V h + L h = L h + V h F
″
V
′
L
″
L
′
V (2.2
Rewriting the mass balance Eq. 2.27 in terms of V ″ − V ′ and substitution in
the energy balance gives:
FhF + (L ″ − L ′ ) hV − FhV = (L ″ − L ′ ) hL (2.3
which is easily rearranged to yield:
L″ − L′ hV − hF
q≡ = (2.3
/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry F hV − hL 28-02-18 PAGE 24
 Energy balance

• Energy balance (in case 0 < q < 1):

FhF + V hV + LhL = L hL + V hV
'' ' '' '

• Combining with:
V -V = L - L - F
'' ' '' '

• This results in:

FhF + ( L - L ) hV - FhV = ( L - L ) hL
'' ' '' '

L'' - L' hV - hF hV - hF
q= = =
F hV - hL DH vap
• This is the heat needed to evaporate 1 mole of feed.

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 25

 Sub-cooled or superheated feed

• Sub-cooled liquid:
• The feed condenses a part of V’’.
• FL > F and V’ < V”
• FV < 0, so q > 1
• Superheated vapor:
• The feed evaporates a part of L’.
• FV > F and L’’<L’
• FL < 0, so q < 0

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 26

 Slope of the feed line

L
q=
F
V
1− q =
F

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 27

 Determination of the amount of trays

• Equilibrium curve, operating line and q-line known.

• The operating line relates the solute concentration in
the liquid going downward between two trays.
• The equilibrium curve relates the solute concentration
in the vapor leaving a certain tray to the solute
concentration in the liquid leaving the same tray.

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 28

 Determination of the amount of trays

• Equilibrium curve, operating line and q-line known.

• Determination of the amount of equilibrium stages.
• Determination of the position of the feed tray.
• Construct a staircase between the equilibrium curve
and the operating line.
• From (xB, xB) to (xB, yB) to (yB, xN) to (xN, yN) and so
forth…

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 29

 Determination of the amount of trays

• Convention: draw from top (xD, xD) to bottom (xB, xB).

(y1, x1)
(xD, xD)
(y2, x2)
(y2, x1)

Feed stage

Operating line rectifying section

Equilibrium curve

Operating line stripping section

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 30

 McCabe-Thiele diagram

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 31

 Optimal feed stage position

• The feed is introduced at the stage which bridges

both the operating lines.

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 32

 Suboptimal feed

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 Staircase ‘steps’ versus stages

• 5 separation steps • 4 theoretical stages

Reboiler
stage

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 34

 R and N
30 2 Evaporation and distillation

• For every distillation, there is an

infinite amount of combinations of
the reflux ratio R and the
theoretical amount of stages N.
• A higher R means that N is lower.
• Higher energy consumption.
• A minimal reflux results in the
lowest energy consumption.

Fig. 2.12 Distillation column overall mass balance envelope.

In binary distillation the specification of xD and xB for th

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry nent fixes the distillate and bottoms
28-02-18
flowPAGE
rates35 D and B
overall component material balance:
 Stages versus reflux ratio

• Minimum number of • Minimum reflux ratio

theoretical
38 stages
2 Evaporation and distillation

Operating lines are equal to

the equilibrium curve Lower R

Fig. 2.18 Determination of (a) minimum number of theoretical stages and (b) minimum
reflux ratio in a McCabe-Thiele diagram.
/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 36
 Optimal reflux ratio, Ropt

• Industrially: 1.1Rmin < Ropt < 1.5Rmin

• Higher R:
• Recirculation of liquid
• Less trays, lower investment
• Higher column diameter

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 37

 Limitations to the McCabe-Thiele
approach
• Limitations • Adaptations
• Binary mixtures • Experimental VLE data
• Ideal behaviour • Fictive mole masses
• Equal molar overflow • Stage efficiencies
• Equilibrium at every
stage

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 38

 Assignment

• Separation of components A (most volatile) and B

• Relative volatility: α = 3
• Liquid boiling feed with xF = 0.35
• Bottom product: xB = 0.05
• Top product: xD = 0.98
• Reflux ratio: R = 2
• Required:
• Amount of equilibrium steps and amount of stages.
• Minimum number of theoretical stages (Nmin at R = ∞)
• Minimum reflux ratio (Rmin at N = ∞)

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 39

 Construct a McCabe-Thiele diagram

• Equilibrium curve: a12 x

y=
(a12 - 1) x + 1
• Feed line:
• Liquid boiling feed: q = 1

• Operating line
rectifying section:

• Operating line stripping section:

• Straight line through (xB, xB) and the point of
interception between the operating line of the rectifying
section and the feed line.
/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 40
 Construct a McCabe-Thiele diagram

(xD, xD) = (0.98, 0.98)

(xF = 0.35)

(xB, xB) = (0.05, 0.05)

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 41

 Number of stages

N = 12
Number of stages = 11
(one for the reboiler)

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 42

 Minimum number theoretical stages, Nmin

Nmin = 6
Number of stages = 5

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 43

 Minimum reflux ratio, Rmin

• Point of interception between the equilibrium line

and the feed line: (0.35, 0.618)
• So the operating line of the rectifying section passes
through (xD, xD) (xD = 0.98) and (0.35, 0.618):

• Rmin = 1.354

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 44

 Depropanizer - working pressure: 13 bar

• Calculate B and D.
• Calculate α.
• Calculate Nmin (R = infinite).
• Calculate Rmin and Ropt.
• Determine N.
• Calculate H.
• Calculate the energy
consumption.
Propane Butane
80
A = 4.53678 A = 4.35576
B = 1149.36 B = 1175.581
C = 24.906 C = -2.071
/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 45
 Depropanizer - working pressure: 13 bar

• Calculate B and D.
• Calculate α.
• Calculate Nmin (R = infinite).
• Calculate Rmin and Ropt.
• Determine N.
• Calculate H.
• Calculate the energy
consumption.
80

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 46

 Step 1: Calculate B and D

• Overall mass balance: F = D + B

• B=F–D
• Mass balance volatile component: xF.F = xD.D + xB.B
• Using the given values for F and xF:

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 47

 Assignment: Depropanizer
(working pressure: 13 bar)
• Calculate B and D.
• Calculate α.
• Calculate Nmin (R = infinite).
• Calculate Rmin and Ropt.
• Determine N.
• Calculate H.
• Calculate the energy
consumption.
80

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 48

 Step 2: Calculate α

B
• Antoine equation: 10
log P ( bar ) = A -
C + T (K)

• Propane: A = 4.53678, B = 1149.36, C = 24.906

• Butane: A = 4.35576, B = 1175.581, C = -2.071

• Two options for αavg:

• Calculate α at Tavg.
• Calculate α at Ttop and Tbottom and calculate the average:

!"#$ = !& ' !(

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 49

 Step 2: Calculate α

21.2
• At Tavg = 60 a= = 3.3
oC:
6.4
13.7
• At Ttop = 40 C:
o
a= = 3.6
3.8 !"#$ = 3.3
31.3
• At Tbottom = 80 C: a =
o
= 3.0
10.2

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 50

 Check the working pressure!

• Top pressure: P = 0.95 ×13.7 + 0.05 × 3.8 = 13.2

• Bottom pressure: P = 0.10 × 31.3 + 0.90 ×10.2 = 12.3

• So the working pressure is 13 bar!

• Of course, we used: P = å xi Pi sat

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 51

 Assignment: Depropanizer
(working pressure: 13 bar)
• Calculate B and D.
• Calculate α.
• Calculate Nmin (R = infinite).
• Calculate Rmin and Ropt.
• Determine N.
• Calculate H.
• Calculate the energy
consumption.
80

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 52

 Step 3: Calculate Nmin

• Construct the equilibrium curve with α = 3.3.

a12 x
y=
(a12 - 1) x + 1

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 53

 Step 3: Calculate Nmin

• When Nmin is reached:

• R=∞
• D = B = 0 (total reflux)
• Operating line rectifying section:

yn+1 = xn

=1 =0
• Operating line stripping section:

ym+1 = xm

=1 =0
/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 54
 Step 3: Calculate Nmin

• So on the operating line, the following is valid:

y2 = x1 and y3 = x2 and yn+1 = xn

• Also, because there is equilibrium on every tray:

y1
y1 = K A x1 = K A y2
Fill in
x1 y2
y2 = K A x2 = K A y3
x2 y3

y1 = ( K A ) yn+1
n x3

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 55

 Step 3: Calculate Nmin

• At the top: y1 = xD
• At the bottom: yn+1 = xB Fill in

y1 = ( K A ) yn+1
n

xD = ( K A ) xB and 1 - xD = ( KB ) (1 - xB )
n n
• So:

xD = ( K A ) xB
n N min
xD æ KA ö xB
=ç ÷
1 - xD = ( KB ) (1 - xB ) 1 - xD è K B ø 1 - xB
n

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 56

 Step 3: Calculate Nmin

• From the last slide:

N min
xD æ KA ö xB KA
=ç ÷ with a AB =
1 - xD è K B ø 1 - xB KB
• We now apply the Fenske equation:

é æ xD ö æ xB ö ù
ln êç ÷ ç ÷ú éæ 0.95 ö æ 0.10 ö ù
ln êç ÷ ç ÷ú
ë è 1 - xD ø è 1 - xB ø û = ë
è 1 - 0.95 ø è 1 - 0.10 øû
N min = = 4.3
ln a AB ln 3.3

• Nmin = 5

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 57

 Graphical McCabe-Thiele determination
of Nmin

Nmin = 5

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 58

 Assignment: Depropanizer
(working pressure: 13 bar)
• Calculate B and D.
• Calculate α.
• Calculate Nmin (R = infinite).
• Calculate Rmin and Ropt.
• Determine N.
• Calculate H.
• Calculate the energy
consumption.
80

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 59

 Step 4: Calculate Rmin

• At the pinch, the operating line and the q-line

intercept on the equilibrium curve.
• Infinite number of trays pinch
• Minimum R

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 60

 Step 4: Calculate Rmin

• Mass balance over the top:

V yn +1 = Lxn + DxD
' '

V ' (1 - yn +1 ) = L' (1 - xn ) + D(1 - xD )

• Infinite number of trays
• The composition at tray n is nearly
equal to the composition at tray n+1.
• This implies:

yn+1 = y¥ and xn = x¥

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 61

 Step 4: Calculate Rmin

• Mass balance over the top:

V yn +1 = Lxn + DxD
' '

V ' (1 - yn +1 ) = L' (1 - xn ) + D(1 - xD )

yn+1 = y¥ and xn = x¥

y∞ L' x∞ + Dx D x∞
= ' = α AB
1− y∞ L (1− x∞ ) + D 1− x D 1− x∞ ( )
/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 62
 Step 4: Calculate Rmin

• Mass balance over the top:

y∞ L' x∞ + Dx D x∞
= ' = α AB
1− y∞ L (1− x∞ ) + D 1− x D 1− x∞ ( )
y
KA =
x
KB =
1− y y∞ L' x∞ + Dx D x∞
1− x = ' = α AB
1− y∞ L (1− x∞ ) + D 1− x D
( ) 1− x∞
KA
α AB =
KB
/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 63
 Step 4: Calculate Rmin

• From the last slide:

y¥ L' x¥ + DxD x¥
= ' = a AB
1 - y¥ L (1 - x¥ ) + D (1 - xD ) 1 - x¥
• We may now apply the Underwood equation:

xD 1 - xD
- a AB 0.95
- 3.3
0.05
æ L' ö x¥ 1 - x¥
Rmin =ç ÷ = = 0.40 0.60 = 0.92
è D ømin a AB - 1 3.3 - 1

• With x∞ = xF if q = 1
• Rmin = 0.92
/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 64
 Graphical determination of Rmin

• Rmin: From the slope:

• We find that Rmin = 0.92

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 65
 Step 4: Calculate Ropt

• Conventionally, distillation at Ropt = 1.2 Rmin

• Ropt = 1.1

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 66

 Assignment: Depropanizer
(working pressure: 13 bar)
• Calculate B and D.
• Calculate α.
• Calculate Nmin (R = infinite).
• Calculate Rmin and Ropt.
• Determine N.
• Calculate H.
• Calculate the energy
consumption.
80

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 67

 Step 5: Determine N

• The slope of the rectifying section is given by:

Ropt/(Ropt+1) = 0.53

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 68

 Step 5: Determine N

N=9

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 69

 Step 5: Stage efficiency

• Usually, equilibrium has not been fully approached

on each tray.
• The Murphree vapor efficiency (EMV) may be used to
construct a pseudo-equilibrium curve:
yn - yn +1
EMV = *
yn - yn +1

• In this equation, yn* is the hypothetical equilibrium

composition.

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 70

 Step 5: Pseudo-equilibrium

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 71

 Assignment: Depropanizer
(working pressure: 13 bar)
• Calculate B and D.
• Calculate α.
• Calculate Nmin (R = infinite).
• Calculate Rmin and Ropt.
• Determine N.
• Calculate H.
• Calculate the energy
consumption.
80

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 72

 Step 6: Calculate H

• We now know:
• Equilibrium on each tray: N = 9
• Height of one stage: HT = 0.60 m
• Stage efficiency: EMV = 0.70

N 9
• Actual number of stages: NT = - 1= - 1 = 11.8
• N = 12 EMV 0.70
T

• Height of the column: H = N × H = 12 × 0.60 = 7.2

T T
• H = 7.2 meter

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 73

 Assignment: Depropanizer
(working pressure: 13 bar)
• Calculate B and D.
• Calculate α.
• Calculate Nmin (R = infinite).
• Calculate Rmin and Ropt.
• Determine N.
• Calculate H.
• Calculate the energy
consumption.
80

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 74

 Step 7: Energy consumption

• Energy balance over the column:

Reboiler in = Condenser Out
QR = QC
QC = D.(R+1).ΔHvap
• If steam is used for heating in the reboiler:
QR × M steam
fm,steam =
DH vap , steam

• If cooling water is used for cooling in the condenser:

QC
fm,C =
CP, water (Tout - Tin )
/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 75
 Step 7: Energy consumption

• Given:
• Steam: ΔHvap = 2100 kJ/kg (Mw = 0.018 kg/mol)
• Propane: ΔHvap = 425 kJ/kg (Mw = 0.044 kg/mol)
• Butane: ΔHvap = 386 kJ/kg (Mw = 0.058 kg/mol)

• Mass balance over the reboiler and the feed stage:

V = L - B = qF + L - B = qF + RD - B
'' '' '

• Apply q = 1:
V '' = F + RD - B = 500 + 1.1×176 - 324 = 370 mol/s

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 76

 Step 7: Energy consumption

• Energy consumption of the reboiler:

E = xB ×V × M prop × DH vap, prop + (1 - xB )V × M but × DH vap,but
'' ''

E = 0.10 × 370 × 0.044 × 425 + 0.90 × 370 × 0.058 × 386 = 8147 kJ/s
• Steam consumption:
QR × M steam
fm,steam =
DH vap , steam
8147
fm,steam = = 3.9 kg/s
2100

/ Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry 28-02-18 PAGE 77