MULTICOMPONENT

DISTILLATION
DISTILLATION
DISTILLATION OF MULTI COMPONENT MIXTURES

Introduction.
Process involved the separation of more than two
components.
Basically the separation are base on the relative volatility
o
i
value of each components, (light or heavy components)
For multicomponent systems which can be considered
ideal, Raoults law can be used to determine the
composition of the vapor in equilibrium with the liquid,
where,
p
A
= P
A
x
A
y
A
= p
A
/P = P
A
x
A
/P = K
A
x
A

Cont
A, B,C
A, B
C
A
B
1
2
Calculate the boiling point for
mixtures

Key component:
-light key
-Heavy key

Boiling point
Raoults law (ideal system)
K (for nonideal system-
dependant on T and P)

=
= = =
= = =
=
=
i i
i i i i i
C
B
B
C
A
A
C
i
i
B B B
A A A
x
Kc
x Kc x k y
K
K
K
K
K
K
x K y
x K y
.
0 . 1
0 . 1 .
........ .......... .... ..........
.
.
o
o
o o o
Dew point



Calculate


Liquid composition;

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=
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\
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= E 1
1
i
i
c i
i
i
y
K K
y
x
o

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
i
i
c
y
K
o

|
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.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
i
i
i
i
i
y
y
x
o
o
Example 11.7-1
A liquid feed to a distillation tower at 405.3 kPa
abs is fed to a distillation tower. The composition
in mole fractions is as follows: n-butane
(x
A
=0.40), n-pentane (x
B
=0.25), n-hexane
(x
C
=0.20), n-heptane (x
D
=0.15). Calculate the
boiling point and the vapor in equilibrium with
the liquid.

Solution: Assume a temperature and find the K
values for all component in Fig. 11.7-2
Cont
Assuming T = 65
o
C






1/ 1/ 3.643 0.2745
C i i
K x o = = =

Referring to figure 11.7-2,

at 0.2745, the T is 69
o
C.
For the second trial, use
69
o
C and follow the same
procedure.
DISTILLATION
Flash Distillation
f = fraction of feed vaporized = V/F.
Fraction of feed remaining as liquid = L/F = (1- f ).
Equilibrium line: y
i
= K
i
x
i
= K
c
o
i
x
i
Operating line,


Temperature if f has vaporized;
- by trial-and-error, assume T.
- get values of K
i
& o
i

- calculate (K
c
o
i
1) & f (K
c
o
i
1) +1

-
when Ex
i
= 1 then T = right temperature.

f
x
x
f
f
y
iF
i i
+

=
1

+
= E
1 ) 1 (
i c
iF
i
K f
x
x
o
DISTILLATION
Total Reflux, R =
To calculate minimum theoretical stages, N
min
,
Fenske equation;


where,
x
LD
= mole fraction of LK in distillate.
x
LW
= mole fraction of LK in bottom product.
x
HD
= mole fraction of HK in distillate.
x
HW
= mole fraction of HK in bottom product


) log(
)] / )( / log[(
,
min
av L
LW HW HD LD
W x W x D x D x
N
o
=
LW LD av L
o o o =
,
DISTILLATION
o
LD
= relative volatility of LK at top/dew point
temperature.
o
LW
= relative volatility of LK at bottom product
temperature.

Initial compositions of distillate & bottom product for
calculation of dew point & bubble point (by-trial-and-
error).
Concentration of other components (besides LK & HK) in
distillate & bottom product at R = .
W x
D x
W x
D x
HW
HD
Nm
iav
iW
iD
) (o =
DISTILLATION
Shortcut Method for R
min

Multicomponent distillation 2 pinch points.
- one above feed.
- one below feed.
Underwoods shortcut method;
- assumes constant flows in both section of tower.
- uses constant average o.

=
u o
o
i
iF i
x
q 1

=
+
u o
o
i
iD i
m
x
R
1
DISTILLATION
where,
x
iD
= composition of component i in the distillate
(as an approximation, taken at R = .)
= average relative volatility of the top and the
bottom of the tower.
To determine R
m
;
1. By trial-and-error, assume u (o
LK
< o
HK
).
2. Calculate 1-q for various u using eq. (11.7-19)
3. Use u
calc.
In eq. (11.7-20) to calculate R
m
using eq.
(11.7-20).
i
o
DISTILLATION
Shortcut Method for Number of stages
Correlation of Erbar & Maddox an approximate method.
Feed plate location by Kirkbride method (an approx.)



where,
N
e
= number of theoretical stages above the feed
plate.
N
s
= number of theoretical stages below the feed
plate.
(
(

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|

\
|
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|
.
|

\
|
=
2
log 206 . 0 log
HD
LW
LF
HF
s
e
x
x
D
W
x
x
N
N