Multiple-unit Processes

Material balances (boundaries) can be written around

any subsystem of the plant. Material balances can also be
written for mixing points or splitters.
Feed 2
A
C

D Product 3
Feed 1 Unit 2
Unit 1

B
E

Product 1 Product 2 Feed 3

A Entire process C Process unit 1 E Process unit 2

B mixing point D Splitter point

 Example : Two-Unit Distillation Process
A labeled flowchart of a continous steady-state two-unit
distillation process is shown below. Each stream contains
two components, A and B, in different proportions. Three
streams whose flow rates and/or compositions are not
known are labeled 1, 2, and 3. Calculate the unknown flow
rates and compositions of streams 1, 2 and 3.

40 kg/h 30 kg/h
0.900 kg A/kg 0.600 kg A/kg
0.100 kg B/kg 0.400 kg B/kg

100 kg/h 1 2 Unit 2

3
Unit 1
0.5 kg A/kg
0.5 kg B/kg
0.300 kg A/kg
30 kg/h
0.700 kg B/kg
 Solution:
40 kg/h 30 kg/h
0.900 kg A/kg 0.600 kg A/kg
0.100 kg B/kg 0.400 kg B/kg

100 kg/h 1 Q1(kg/h) 2 Q2(kg/h) 3 Q3(kg/h)

Unit 1 Unit 2
0.5 kg A/kg x1(kg A/kg) x2(kg A/kg) x3(kg A/kg)
0.5 kg B/kg 1–x1(kg B/kg) 1–x2(kg B/kg) 1–x3(kg B/kg)

0.300 kg A/kg
30 kg/h
0.700 kg B/kg

Basis : Given flow rates

Steady-state without reaction : Input = Output
 40 kg/h 30 kg/h
0.900 kg A/kg 0.600 kg A/kg
0.100 kg B/kg 0.400 kg B/kg

100 kg/h Q1(kg/h) Q2(kg/h) Q3(kg/h)

Unit 1 Unit 2
0.5 kg A/kg x1(kg A/kg) x2(kg A/kg) x3(kg A/kg)
0.5 kg B/kg 1–x1(kg B/kg) 1–x2(kg B/kg) 1–x3(kg B/kg)

0.300 kg A/kg
30 kg/h
0.700 kg B/kg

Overall Mass Balance :

Entire process
(100 + 30) = (40 + 30) + Q3
Q3 = 60 kg/h
Overall Balance on A :
0.5(100) + 0.3(30) = 0.9(40) + 0.6(30) + x3(60)
x3 = 0.0833 kg A/kg
 30 kg/h
40 kg/h 0.600 kg A/kg
0.900 kg A/kg 0.400 kg B/kg
0.100 kg B/kg

100 kg/h Q1(kg/h) Q2(kg/h) 60 kg/h

Unit 1 Unit 2
0.5 kg A/kg x1(kg A/kg) x2(kg A/kg) 0.0833 kg A/kg
0.5 kg B/kg 1–x1(kg B/kg) 1–x2(kg B/kg) 0.9167 kg B/kg

0.300 kg A/kg
30 kg/h
0.700 kg B/kg

Unit 1 Total Mass Balance :

100 kg/h = 40 kg/h + Q1
Q1 = 60 kg/h
Mass Balance on A :
0.5(100) = 0.9(40) + x1(60)
x1 = 0.233 kg A/kg
 30 kg/h
40 kg/h 0.600 kg A/kg
0.900 kg A/kg 0.400 kg B/kg
0.100 kg B/kg

100 kg/h 60 kg/h Q2 (kg/h) 60 kg/h

Unit 1 Unit 2
0.5 kg A/kg 0.233 kg A/kg x2 (kg A/kg) 0.0833 kg A/kg
0.5 kg B/kg 0.767 kg B/kg 1–x2(kg B/kg) 1–x3(kg B/kg)

0.300 kg A/kg
30 kg/h
0.700 kg B/kg

Stream Mixing Point Total Mass Balance :

60 + 30 = Q2
Q2 = 90 kg/h
Mass Balance on A :
0.233(60) + 0.3(30) = x2(90)
x2 = 0.255 kg A/kg