RESULT

Table 7.1 Data Collection for Experiment A

Power
(kW)

Time
(s)

Boil-up
Rates
(L/h)

0.5

119

0.045

162

94

68

0.75

40

0.135

169

87

82

1.00

0.9

250

250

1.25

1.08

185

72

113

1.50

1.35

203

55

148

Pressure Drop
Over
Top Bottom
all

Degree of
Foaming
Gentle
Localised
Violent
Localised
Foaming
Gently
Foaming
Gently
Violent
Localised

Pressure Drop vs Boil-up Rate

300
250
200
Pressure Drop (cm H2O)

150
100
50
0
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.2

Boil-up Rate (L/hr)

Graph 7.1 Graph of Pressure Drop versus Boil-up Rate

1.4

1.6

Table 7.2 Data Collection for Experiment B

Concentration
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%

RI (nD)
1.42342
1.43552
1.45506
1.47832
1.49665

Refractive Index vs Mole Fraction of Methylcyclohexane

1.52
1.5
1.48
1.46
Refractive Index

1.44
1.42
1.4
1.38
0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Mole Fraction of Methylcyclohexane

Graph 7.2 Graph of Refractive Index versus Mole Fraction of Methylcyclohexane

SAMPLE OF CALCULATION

To calculate the volume needed for methylcyclohexane and toluene

MW
Vol MCH MCH 100
MW MCH
Mole Percent of Methylcyclohexane=

Vol MCH MCH Vol tol tol

+
l

MW MCH

Vol MCH MCH 100

MW MCH
25=
Vol MCH MCH Voltol tol
+
MW MCH
MW tol
25=

100
Voltol
MW MCH
tol
1+

Vol MCH
MW tol
MCH

Voltol
MW MCH
tol

=3
Vol MCH
MW tol
MCH
Voltol
MW tol
MCH
=3

Vol MCH
MW MCH
tol

Molecular Weight of Methylcyclohexane, MW MCH

Molecular Weight of toluene, MW tol
Density of methylcyclohexane,
Density of toluene,

MCH

tol = 0.867 g/mL

Substituting these values into the equation,

= 98.19
= 92.15

= 0.774 g/mL

Voltol
92.15 0.774
=3

Vol MCH
98.19 0.867
Voltol=2.51 Vol MCH
Thus, the volume needed for 100 mL mixture with 25 mole percent of toluene is
28.49 mL methylcyclohexane
71.51mL toluene
DISCUSSION
Distillation is a process in which a liquid or vapor mixture of two or more
substances is separated into its component fractions of required boiling point, by
the application and removal of heat. Distillation is a commonly used method for
purifying liquids and separating mixtures of liquids into their individual
components.
Based on the result obtained from Experiment A, the pressure drop is increased with
the increasing value of reboilers power but then it decreases after the fourth reading.
According to the graph plotted for experiment A, the pressure drop is decreased from boil up
rate 1.08 to 1.35 L/h and increased from boil up rate 0.045 to 0.9 L/h. The boil up rate is
recorded by using the stopwatch while 90 mL of samples is being collected. The boil up rate
of the samples at 0.5 kW is 0.045 L/h while at 0.75 kW the boil up rate is 0.135 L/h. At 1.00
kW of reboiler power, the boil up rate is 0.9 L/h and at 1.25 kW the boil up rate is 1.08 L/h.
For 1.50 kW, the boil up rate is 1.35 L/h.
As for the degree of foaming, at 0.5 kW the degree of foaming is observed as gentle
localised. At 0.75 kW, the degree of foaming is Violent Localised. The degree of foaming for
1.00 kW and 1.25 kW is observed as Foaming Gently. At 1.50 kW reboiler power, the degree
of foaming is changed to Violent Localised over the whole tray.