Department of Chemical Engineering

University of the Philippines Diliman

ChE 132: Stagewise Operations

Lecture 3
Flash Distillation

Prepared by:
Jonas Karl Christopher N. Agutaya
Assistant Professor

Flash Distillation System

Binary Flash Distillation

Degrees of Freedom

There are 8 independent

equations that can be used
to solve for the equations

Binary Flash Distillation

Equations
Material balances:

1
2

F L V
z1 F x1 L y1V

Equilibrium:

3
4

K1 y1 x1
K 2 y2 x2

Mole fractions

5
6
7

z1 z2 1
x1 x2 1
y1 y2 1

Energy Balance

FhF Qflash
VHV LhL

Binary Flash Distillation

Sequential Solution Procedure
Applicable when the last degree of freedom is
used to specify a variable that relates to the
conditions in the flash drum
Possible choices:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Vapor mole fraction, y*

Liquid mole fraction, x*
Fraction of feed vaporized, f = V/F
Fraction of feed remaining as liquid, q = L/F
Temperature of the flash drum, Tdrum*

*equilibrium conditions

Binary Flash Distillation

Sequential Solution Procedure
If f or q is specified, the equilibrium conditions
and the material balances are solved
simultaneously.
Begin by generating the operating equation from
the two material balances:

L
F
y x z
V
V

*Mole fractions are those of the more volatile component.

Binary Flash Distillation

Sequential Solution Procedure
In terms of q, the operating equation is:

1 f
z
y
x
f
f
In terms of q:

1
q
y
x
z
1 q
1 q

Binary Flash Distillation

y

L
F
x z
V
V

slope

L
1 f
q

V
f
1 q

y-intercept

F
1
1
z z
z
V
f
1 q

Binary Flash Distillation

Given:
1. Feed is 50% ethanol.
2. 60% of feed vaporizes.

Solution:
1. z = 0.50
2. f = V/F = 60/100 = 0.6
1 f
1 0.6 2

f
0.6
3
1
1
5
y-intercept z
0.5
f
0.6
6

slope

Operating equation
2
5
y x
3
6

Binary Flash Distillation

Equilibrium curve
(Wilson equation)

McCabeThiele
Diagram

y-intercept = 5/6 = 0.833

Intersection:
(0.35, 0.6)

slope = 2/3

Operating line
(Material balance)

Binary Flash Distillation

Example 3.01
A flash distillation column operating at 101.3 kPa
is separating an ethanol-water mixture. The feed
mixture is 40 mol% ethanol and F = 100 kmol/h.
a. What is the maximum vapor composition?
b. What is the minimum liquid composition that
can be obtained if V/F is allowed to vary?
c. If V/F = 2/3, what are the liquid and vapor
compositions?
d. Repeat step c, given that F is specified as 1000
kmol/h.

Example 3.01c
Given:
1. P = 101.3 kPa
2. z1 = 0.40
3. F = 100 kmol/h
4. V/F = f = 2/3

Operating equation
y1 0.5 x 0.6
Intersection of OL and EC is at
x1 = 0.1783
y1 = 0.5109

The temperature at the

given conditions is
Tdrum = 83.969

Example 3.01c

Once the conditions within the flash drum have

been calculated, the enthalpy of the feed can be
determined from the energy balance:

+ = +
From the enthalpy of the feed, its temperature
can be determined from hF = hF(TF, z)
For ideal solutions,
drum , = 1 ,1 ref + 2 ,2 ref
, = 1 ,1 ref + 2 ,2 ref
drum , = 1 1 + ,1 ref

+ 2 2 + ,2 ref

Example 3.01c

(y1 = 0.5109, HV = 48.1872 kJ/mol)

At z1 = 0.40,
hF = 34.4581 kJ/mol

(x1 = 0.1783, hL = 6.9999 kJ/mol)

Binary Flash Distillation

Simultaneous Solution and the
Enthalpy-Composition Diagram
Given: TF
1. Calculate hF(TF, z).
2. Guess the value of Tdrum.
3. Calculate x and y from the equilibrium
equations or graphically.
4. Find L and V by the solving the mass balance
equations or find L/V and use the OMB.

Binary Flash Distillation

Simultaneous Solution and the
Enthalpy-Composition Diagram (contd)
5. Calculate hL(Tdrum, x) and HV(Tdrum, y) or from
the enthalpy composition diagram.
6. Check: Is the energy balance equation
satisfied? If yes, the calculated values are
accepted. Otherwise, return to 2.

Size Calculation
1. Calculate the permissible vapor velocity, uperm
perm =

where uperm = maximum permissible vapor

velocity at the maximum crosssectional area, ft/s
Kdrum = empirical constant
L
= density of the liquid
V
= density of the vapor

Size Calculation
Empirical Constant, Kdrum
For vertical drums the value has been correlated
graphically by Watkins (1967) for 85% of flood with no
demister.
Blackwell (1984) fit Watkins correlation to the equation
= . exp + ln + ln

+ ln

+ ln

where = and Const. = 1.0 ft/s. WL

and WV are the liquid and vapor flow rates. The
constants are:
= 1.877478097
= 0.8145804597

= 0.1870744085
= 0.0145228667

= 0.0010148518

Size Calculation
2. Using the known vapor rate V, convert uperm
into a horizontal area. From the vapor flow rate

3600
2

the area is =
3600
For a vertical drum, the diameter is = 4 , which is usually
increased to the next largest 6-in. increment.

Size Calculation
3. Set the length/diameter ratio either by rule of
thumb or by the required liquid surge volume.
For vertical flash drums, htotal/D = 3.0 to 5.0.

Size Calculation
Flash Drums as Liquid Surge Tanks
The height of the drum above
the centerline of the feed
nozzle,
hV = 36 in. + the diameter
of the feed line
(min. = 48 in.)
The height of the center of the
feed line above the maximum
level of the liquid pool,
hf = 12 in. + the diameter of
the feed line
(min. = 18 in.)

Size Calculation
Flash Drums as Liquid Surge Tanks
The depth of the pool, hL, can
be determined from the desired
surge volume:

Vsurge
=
D2 4

Size Calculation
Flash Drums as Liquid Surge Tanks
The geometry can now be
checked:

htotal hV + hf + hL
=
D
D
If htotal/D < 3, a larger liquid
surge volume should be
allowed.
If htotal/D > 5, a horizontal
flash drum should be used.

Size Calculation
Horizontal Flash Drums
Horizontal flash drums are used for large flow
rates because additional disengagement area is
formed by making the column larger.

Size Calculation
Horizontal Flash Drums
If h/D = C is arbitrarily chosen (typically 3-5), the
diameter is
=

3600

For ideal gases:

=

3600

According to Blackwell:
= 1.25

Quiz
1. A flash distillation column operating at
101.325 kPa is separating an ethanol-water
mixture. The feed mixture is 50 mol% ethanol.
If 60% of the feed remains as liquid, determine
composition of liquid and vapor products.
2. The feed to a flash drum has a concentration of
40 mol% ethanol and 60% water. Its enthalpy
has been determined to be 25 kJ/mol. The
drum operates at 101.325 kPa. From this
information, determine the following:
a. Composition of the liquid and vapor phases
b. The L to V ratio