Before starting the construction and use of a McCabe–Thiele diagram for the distillation

of a binary feed, the vapor–liquid equilibrium (VLE) data must be obtained for the
lower-boiling component of the feed.

Figure 1: Typical McCabe–Thiele diagram for distillation of a binary feed

The first step is to draw equal sized vertical and horizontal axes of a graph. The
horizontal axis will be for the mole fraction (denoted by x) of the lower-boiling feed
component in the liquid phase. The vertical axis will be for the mole fraction (denoted
by y) of the lower-boiling feed component in the vapor phase.
The next step is to draw a straight line from the origin of the graph to the point where x
and y both equal 1.0, which is the x = y line in Figure 1. This 45 degree line is used
simply as a graphical aid for drawing the remaining lines. Then draw the equilibrium
line using the VLE data points of the lower boiling component, representing the
equilibrium vapor phase compositions for each value of liquid phase composition. Also
draw vertical lines from the horizontal axis up to the x = y line for the feed and for the
desired compositions of the top distillate product and the corresponding bottoms
product (shown in red in Figure 1).
The next step is to draw the operating line for the rectifying section (the section above
the feed inlet) of the distillation column, (shown in green in Figure 1). Starting at the
intersection of the distillate composition line and the x = y line, draw the rectifying
operating line at a downward slope (Δy/Δx) of L / (D + L) where L is the molar flow
rate of reflux and D is the molar flow rate of the distillate product. For example, in
Figure 1, assuming the molar flow rate of the reflux L is 1000 moles per hour and the
molar flow rate of the distillate D is 590 moles per hour, then the downward slope of the
rectifying operating line is 1000 / (590 + 1000) = 0.63 which means that the
y-coordinate of any point on the line decreases 0.63 units for each unit that the
x-coordinate decreases.

Figure 2: Examples of q-line slopes

The next step is to draw the blue q-line (seen in Figure 1) from the x = y line so that it
intersects the rectifying operating line.
The parameter q is the mole fraction of liquid in the feed and the slope of the q-line is q
/ (q – 1). For example, if the feed is a saturated liquid it has no vapor, thus q = 1 and the
slope of the q-line is infinite which means the line is vertical. As another example, if the
feed is all saturated vapor, q = 0 and the slope of the q-line is 0 which means that the
line is horizontal.[2]
Some example q-line slopes are presented in Figure 2. As can be seen now, the typical
McCabe-Thiele diagram in Figure 1 uses a q-line representing a partially vaporized
feed.
Next, as shown in Figure 1, draw the purple operating line for the stripping section of
the distillation column (i.e., the section below the feed inlet). Starting at the intersection
of the red bottoms composition line and the x = y line, draw the stripping section
operating line up to the point where the blue q-line intersects the green operating line of
the rectifying section operating line.
Finally, as exemplified in Figure 1, draw the steps between operating lines and the
equilibrium line and then count them. Those steps represent the theoretical plates (or
equilibrium stages). The required number of theoretical plates is 6 for the binary
distillation depicted in Figure 1.
Note that using colored lines is not required and only used here to make the
methodology easier to describe.
In continuous distillation with varying reflux ratio, the mole fraction of the lighter
component in the top part of the distillation column will decrease as the reflux ratio
decreases. Each new reflux ratio will alter the slope of the rectifying section operating
line.
When the assumption of constant molar overflow is not valid, the operating lines will
not be straight. Using mass and enthalpy balances in addition to vapor-liquid
equilibrium data and enthalpy-concentration data, operating lines can be constructed
based on Ponchon–Savarit's method.[7]
If the mixture can form an azeotrope, its vapor-liquid equilibrium line will cross the x =
y line, preventing further separation no matter the number of theoretical plates.

Operating Line for the Rectification Section

The operating line for the rectification section is constructed as follows. First the
desired top product composition is located on the VLE diagram, and a vertical line
produced until it intersects the diagonal line that splits the VLE plot in half. A line with
slope R/(R+1) is then drawn from this instersection point as shown in the diagram
below.

R is the ratio of reflux flow (L) to distillate flow (D) and is called the reflux ratio and is
a measure of how much of the material going up the top of the column is returned back
to the column as reflux.

Operating Line for the Stripping Section

The operating line for the stripping section is constructed in a similar manner. However,
the starting point is the desired bottom product composition. A vertical line is drawn
from this point to the diagonal line, and a line of slope Ls/Vs is drawn as illustrated in
the diagram below.

Ls is the liquid rate down the stripping section of the column, while Vs is the vapour rate
up the stripping section of the column. Thus the slope of the operating line for the
stripping section is a ratio between the liquid and vapour flows in that part of the
column.
Equilibrium and Operating Lines
The McCabe-Thiele method assumes that the liquid on a tray and the vapour above it
are in equilibrium. How this is related to the VLE plot and the operating lines is
depicted graphically in the diagram on the right.

L's are the liquid flows while V's are the vapour flows. x and y denote liquid and
vapour compositions and the subscripts denote the origin of the flows or compositions.
That is 'n-1' will mean from the stage below stage 'n' while 'n+1' will mean from the
stage above stage 'n'. The liquid in stage 'n' and the vapour above it are in equilibrium,
therefore, xn and yn lie on the equilibrium line. Since the vapour is carried to the tray
above without changing composition, this is depicted as a horizontal line on the VLE
plot. Its intersection with the operating line will give the composition of the liquid on
tray 'n+1' as the operating line defines the material balance on the trays. The
composition of the vapour above the 'n+1' tray is obtained from the intersection of the
vertical line from this point to the equilibrium line.