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Lecture 1 - Equilibrium Operation Separation

The document provides an introduction to equilibrium separation operations, emphasizing their importance in chemical engineering and the significant capital investment required for separation processes. It outlines common methods such as distillation, absorption, and extraction, and discusses key concepts like equilibrium stages, stage efficiency, and the principles governing mass transfer between phases. The lecture also highlights the need for understanding the interactions between liquid and vapor phases to achieve effective separation.

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1 views23 pages

Lecture 1 - Equilibrium Operation Separation

The document provides an introduction to equilibrium separation operations, emphasizing their importance in chemical engineering and the significant capital investment required for separation processes. It outlines common methods such as distillation, absorption, and extraction, and discusses key concepts like equilibrium stages, stage efficiency, and the principles governing mass transfer between phases. The lecture also highlights the need for understanding the interactions between liquid and vapor phases to achieve effective separation.

Uploaded by

hentai.only.acc.1120
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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EQUILIBRIUM SEPARATION OPERATIONS

Lecture 1: Introduction
SEPARATIONS
• Crucial in Chemical Engineering
• Most equipment - purifying products

• Chemical Plants
• 50 - 90 % capital investment
COMMON SEPARATION
METHODS
• Distillation
• flash
• continuous column
• batch

• Absorption/Stripping

• Extraction
SIMILARITIES OF THESE
METHODS
• Two phases contacted

• Designed and analyzed as equilibrium stage


processes
DISTILLATION
• Separation depends on distribution of components
between gas and liquid phase

• All components distribute at equilibrium


DISTILLATION
• Gas phase - application of heat

• Liquid phase - removal of heat


ABSORPTION/STRIPPING
• Gas mixture contacted with liquid

• Absorption - dissolving components of gas into liquid

• Stripping - mass transfer goes from liquid to gas


LIQUID EXTRACTION
• Liquid solution contacted with another insoluble
liquid.

• Constituents distribute differently between the 2


liquid phases
KEY TERMS FOR
UNDERSTANDING
EQUILIBRIUM STAGED
PROCESSES
UNIT OPERATION
• Basic design principles for a given separation method
are always the same

• Specific design depends on chemicals being


separated
STAGE
• Device or combination of a device

• 2 insoluble phases are brought into intimate contact

• mass transfer occurs between the phases tending to


bring them to equilibrium

• phases are mechanically separated


TRAY TOWER
• Vertical assembly of trays on which vapor and liquid
are contacted

• Liquid flows down tower due to gravity

• Vapor flows upward as a result of a slight pressure


drop from tray to tray
EQUILIBRIUM STAGE
• Equilibrium, ideal, or theoretical stage

• Contacting device - a vessel - 2 or more phases in


contact sufficiently to achieve equilibrium

• Streams leaving a stage are in equilibrium

• Building block of multistage processes


STAGE EFFICIENCY
• Fractional approach to equilibrium

• Equilibrium stages coupled with stage efficiency -


actual stages
CASCADE
• A group of stages interconnected

• Purpose - to increase the extent of mass transfer


over and above that which is possible with a single
stage.
3 PRINCIPLES:
DISTRIBUTION OF SUBSTANCES BETWEEN
2 INSOLUBLE PHASES

• Fixed temperature and pressure, there exists a set


of equilibrium relationships

• No net diffusion of the components between phases


in equilibrium.

• If the system is not in equilibrium, diffusion of the


components between the phases will occur so as to
bring the system to a condition of equilibrium.
LIQUID AND VAPOR
PHASES IN CONTACT
• x - mole frac liquid, y - mole frac vapor

yA, yB yA + yB = 1
Pvapor Tvapor
A B
A B
Pliquid Tliquid
xA, xB xA + xB = 1
NOT AT EQUILIBRIUM
• Liquid and vapor can be:

• at different pressure

• at different temperature

• present in different mole fractions


AT EQUILIBRIUM
• Temperature ceases to change

• Pressure ceases to change

• Fractions of the 2 phases cease to change


THERMAL EQUILIBRIUM
• Heat transfer stops

Tliquid = Tvapor
MECHANICAL EQUILIBRIUM
• Forces between vapor and liquid balance

• Staged separation processes:

Pliquid = Pvapor
PHASE EQUILIBRIUM
• Rate at which each species is vaporizing is just equal
to the rate at which it is condensing

• No change in composition (mole fraction).

• Compositions of liquid and vapor are not equal.


(chemical potential i)liquid = (chemical potential i)vapor
EQUILIBRIUM
SEPARATION
OPERATIONS
Lecture 1: Introduction
Reading Assignment:
1. Foust, 1980 pp. 1-27
2. Geankoplis pp 653-660
3. Geankoplis pp.696-705

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