Material Balances on Multiple Unit Processes

Material Balances On Multiple-unit Non Reactive Processes

 Industrial chemical processes involve more than one unit operation.

 Most processes consist of a number of interconnected unit processes. Streams

will split and/or combine.
Material Balances On Multiple-unit Non Reactive Processes

Determining a full set of flows and compositions will usually require writing
balances around various groups of equipment.

How many system boundaries exist in this process?

FEED 2
PRODUCT 1

FEED 1 COMPONENT
SPLITTER
CATALYTIC REACTOR

PRODUCT 2

Identify as many other system boundaries as possible from the above diagram!
Material Balances On Multiple-unit Non Reactive Processes

 How many unit operations are there in the above process?

Ans: There are three unit operations.

 For the previous process, how many number of

independent equations can be written for the
whole process if the number of components is N ?
Ans: 3*N
Material Balances On Multiple-unit Non Reactive Processes

Example1: Non-reactive Multiple Unit

Problem 4-29: A liquid mixture containing 30.0 mole% benzene (B), 25.0% toluene (T) and
the balance Xylene (X) is fed to a distillation column. The bottoms product containing 98.0
mole% X and no B, and 96.0% of the X in the feed is recovered in this stream. The overhead
product is fed to a second column. The overhead product from the second column contains
97.0 % of the B in the feed to this column. The composition of this stream is 94.0 mole% of B
and the balance T.
Material Balances On Multiple-unit Non Reactive Processes

Problem 4-29:…
Draw and label flowchart. Do the degree-of-freedom
analysis to prove that for an assumed basis of
calculation, molar flow rate and compositions of all
process streams can be calculated from the given
information.
Material Balances On Multiple-unit Non Reactive Processes
Solution:
Draw and label flowchart. Do the degree-of-freedom analysis to prove that for an assumed basis of
calculation, molar flow rate and compositions of all process streams can be calculated from the given
information.

100 mol/h  2 (mol/h)

n  4 (mol/h)
n

0.300 mol B/mol XB2 (mol B/mol) 0.940 mol B/mol

0.060 mol T/mol
0.250 mol T/mol Column XT2 (mol T/mol) Column
0.450 mol X/mol 1 1 - XB2 -XT2 (mol X/mol) 2

 3 (mol/h)
n 0.020 mol T/mol  5 (mol/h)
n XB5 (mol B/mol)
XT5 (mol T/mol)
0.980 mol X/mol
1 - XB5 -XT5 (mol X/mol)
Material Balances On Multiple-unit Non Reactive Processes
Solution…
Draw and label flowchart. Do the degree-of-freedom analysis to prove that for an assumed basis of calculation, molar
flow rate and compositions of all process streams can be calculated from the given information.
DoF Column 1 Column 1

4 unknowns 96% X Recovery: (1)

0.960(0.450 3
)(100)  0.980 n
Total mole balance: 100  n2  3
(2)n
- 3 Independent eqn B Balance: 0.300 (100 )  x B 2 n(3)
2
- 1 Recovery of X
T Balance: 0.250 (100 )  xT 2 n 2  3
(4) 0.020 n
0 DoF

Column 2
DoF Column 2 97% B Recovery: 0.970 x B 2(5)n 2  0.940 n 4
4 unknowns Total mole balance:  2 (6)n 4  n 5
n
- 3 Independent eqn
- 1 Recovery of B
B Balance:
xB 2 n 2  0.940 n 2 (7) x B 5 n 5
T Balance: (8)
0 DoF xT 2 n 2  0.060 n 4  xT 5 n 5
Material Balances On Multiple-unit Non Reactive Processes

Solution…
Solving all the balances, obtain these results:

3
n  44.1 mol/h  4  30 .9 5m o l/h
n

 2  55 .9 mo l/h
n  5  2 4.96m ol/h
n

xB 2  0.536 mol B/h xB 5  0.036 mol B/h

xT 2  0.431 mol T/h xT 5  0.892 mol T/h

 Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes
Involving Recycle and Bypass

RECYCLE
One of the common processing configurations is the material recycle structure.

RECYCLE

FEED MIX
PROCESS OUTPUT
SPLIT

Often asked to calculate the recycle ratio - divide mass flow of recycle stream by
mass flow of the "fresh feed“.
Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

Some Importance of Recycling:

Recovery of catalyst. E.g., Fermentation process

Dilution of a process stream. E.g., Filtration process
 Control of a process variable. E.g., Exothermic reaction
process
Circulation of a working fluid. E.g., Refrigeration process
Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…
Some Importance of Recycling…

• Recovering and reusing unconsumed reactant and energy saving.

E.g., See the diagram below: A B
 Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

BYPASS
A procedure that has several features in common with recycle is bypass, in
which a fraction of the feed to a process unit is diverted around the unit
and combined with the output stream from the unit.

BYPASS

FEED PROCESS OUTPUT

SPLIT MIX
 Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

 One use of bypass is to obtain precise control of the output stream, as when a
small wet air stream bypasses a drier so that the output humidity can be regulated
as well as to manipulate the process conditions (T & P).

 Bypass and recycle calculations are approached in exactly the same manner; the
flowchart is drawn and labelled, and overall balances and balances around the
process unit or the stream mixing point following the process unit are used to
determine unknown variables.

Example of bypass process: Solve problems 4.51 & 4.52 from the textbook.
 Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

Recycle & Bypass– The Difference

Note:
IN PROCESS-1 OUT
At splitting,
components’
compositions
“Splitting “Mixing
remain the same. Bypass
The ONLY Points” Points”
difference is the
OUT PROCESS-2 IN
mass flow rate.

Recycle
 Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

EXAMPLE 1: Recycle
Fresh air containing 4.00 mole% water vapour is to be cooled and dehumified to a
water content of 1.70 mole% H2O. A stream of fresh air is combined with a recycle
stream of previously dehumidified air and passed through the cooler. The blended
stream entering the unit contains 2.30 mole% H2O. In the air conditioner, some of
the water in the feed stream is condensed and removed as liquid. A fraction of the
dehumidified air leaving the cooler is recycled and the remainder is delivered to a
room.
 Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

Taking 100 mol of dehumidified air delivered to the room as a basis of calculation,
calculate the moles of fresh feed, moles of water condensed, and moles of
dehumidified air recycled.

SOLUTION: Recycle
1. Draw the flowchart. Write all known stream variables at the streams on the chart.
Assign algebraic symbols to unknown stream variables.
 Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

SOLUTION: Recycle
n 5 (mol) 0.017 mol W(l)/mol
0.983 mol DA/mol

n1 (mol) n 2 (mol) n 4 (mol) 100 mol

AIR
0.960 mol DA/mol 0.977 mol DA/mol COND. 0.983 mol DA/mol 0.983 mol DA/mol
0.040 mol W(v)/mol 0.023 mol W(v)/mol 0.017 mol W(v)/mol 0.017 mol W(v)/mol

n 3 [mol W(l)]
18
 Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

Perform Degree-of-Freedom (DoF) Analysis

First identify & separate into different system boundaries.

• Overall:
unknowns = 2 (n1, n3)
(-) indep. eqn. = 2 (species DA & W)
= 0 DOF (solvable)

• Mixing: unknowns = 3 (n1, n2, n5)

(-) indep. eqn. = 2 (species DA & W)
= 1 DOF
Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

• Air conditioner: unknowns = 2 (n2, n4)

(-) indep. eqn. = 2 (species DA & W)
= 0 DOF (solvable)

• Splitter: unknowns = 2 (n2, n4)

(-) indep. eqn. = 1 (CHECK WHY)
= 1 DOF
Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

Overall DA Balance (Fewest Unknown):

0.960n1 = 0.983 (100)

n1 = 102.4 mol fresh feed

Overall Total Balance:

n1 = 100 + n3

n3 = 2.4 mol H2O condensed

 Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

Mixing Total Balance: Mixing Water Balance:

n1 = n5 + n2 0.04n1 + 0.017 n5 = 0.023n2

102.4 = n5 + n2 ….. (1) 4.096 + 0.017n5 = 0.023n2…. (2)

Solving (1) & (2) simultaneously:

n2 = 392.5 mol

n5 = 290 mol recycle

 Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

EXAMPLE 2: Recycle
Forty-five hundred kilograms per hour of a solution that is one-third K2CrO4 by

mass is joined by a recycle stream containing 36.4% K2CrO4, and the combined
stream is fed into an evaporator. The concentrated stream leaving the evaporator
contains 49.4% K2CrO4; this stream is fed into a crystallizer in which it is cooled

(causing crystals of K2CrO4 to come out of solution) and then filtered.

 Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

EXAMPLE 2: Recycle (continued)

The filter cake consists of K2CrO4 crystals and a solution that contains 36.4%

K2CrO4 by mass; the crystals accounts for 95% of the total mass of the filter

cake. The solution that passes through the filter, also 36.4% K2CrO4 is the
recycle stream.

Calculate the rate of evaporation, the rate of production of crystalline K2CrO4 ,

the feed rates that the evaporator and the crystallizer must be designed to handle,
and the recycle ratio.
 Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

Solution
m 2 (kg W / h)
m 4  0.95(m 4  m 5 )
Fresh Feed Filter Cake
4500 kg / h m 1(kg / h) m 3 (kg / h) Crystallizer m 4 (kg K / h)
Evaporator
0.333 kg K / kg x1 kg K / kg and Filter m 5 (kg / h)
0.494 kg K / kg
0.667 kg W / kg (1-x1) kg W / kg 0.506 kg W / kg
0.364 kg K / kg
0.636 kg W / kg

m 6 (kg / h) Filtrate (recycle)

0.364 kg K / kg
0.636 kg W / kg
 Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

Perform Degree-of-freedom (DOF) Analysis

First identify & separate into different system boundaries:

• overall: unknowns = 3 (m2 , m4 , m5)

• • •

(-)indep. eqn. = 2 (2 species)

•
(-)add. info. = 1 (m4 = 95% total filter cake)
= 0 DOF (solvable)
  

Add. info.: solids constitute 95% by mass of m 4  0.95( m 4  m 5 )

 

the filter cake. This gives the equation (1): m 5  0.05263 m 4  1
Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

Write system equation and do the algebra.

Overall K Balance:

 
(0.333)( 4500) kg K/h  m 4  0.364 m 5
Solve simultaneo usly with (1)

m4  1470 kg K//h

m5  77.5 kg entrained solution/h
 Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

  

Overall Total 4500 kg/h  m 2  m 4  m 5


Balance: m 2  2950 kg Water evaporated per hour.

Crystallizer Total Balance: Crystallizer Water Balance:

.  
   
m3  m 4  m5  m 6 0.506 m3  0.636 m 5  0.636 m 6
 
 2 
 .
m 3  1550  m 6 m 3  97.4  1.257 m 6  3


m 3  7200 kg/h fed to crystalliz er
Solve (2) & (3) 
m 6  5650 kg/h
 Material Balances on Non Reactive Processes Involving Recycle and
Bypass…

 
4500 kg/h  m 6  m1
Mixing Total Balance: 
m1  10150 kg/h feed to evaporator


m1  10150 kg/h feed to evaporator
quantities required in the 
problem statement. m 2  2950 kg/h water evaporated

m 3  7200 kg /h fed to crystall i zer

m 4  1470kg /h K crystals

m6
 1.26 kg recycle/kg fresh feed
4500