PROCESS EQUIPMENT DESIGN

Design of Distillation Column

Types of Column
Based on number of stages:
1 stage: flash distillation, to separate components that have
far difference in volatility; usually held in the beginning step
-

Cascade distillation = multi stage distillation, the column

has more than 1 stage

Based on process continuity:

Batch distillation
Continuous distillation

Design of Flash Distillation

Design equation:
F .z i
L Li
V
1 Ki

Or:

F .z i
V Vi
1 L
1

Ki V

Design of Flash Distillation

Principles in design of flash distillation:

If P, T are designed, then V, L along with their

compositions are calculated
If P and one of products are designed, then T and the
other product are calculated
If T and one of products are designed, then P and the
other product are calculated

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Sequence
Number of sequences:

Ns

2 N 1 .!
N !. N 1.!

Optimum sequence if the total amount of vapor produced is

minimum.
The amount of vapor produced in each column can be
predicted using Smiths equation:

Rf
V DF
1

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Sequence
Determination of optimum sequence using empirical
method:
A pair of components having close relative volatility
(approaching to 1) or azeotrope is separated at the
end; or Components having the highest relative
volatility are separated first
The lightest component is separated first
The component having the highest amount in the
feed is separated first
The separation is attempted to be a near-equimolar
split

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Component Distribution
Types of components
Key components: light component (LK), the
component that becomes separation target and is
dominant in the top product; heavy component (HK),
dominant in the bottom product
Distributed components: the components the exist in
both top and bottom products; the key components are
always distributed components
Non-distributed component: only exist in one of
products

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Operating Conditions
Top Operating Conditions
By considering the following issues:
Data of critical points (especially critical temperature &
pressure)

Tc , mix xi .Tc ,i

The top operating temperature << Tc,mix in order that the

vapor is easy to condense
Property of azeotropic solution
The composition of top product cannot exceed the
azeotropic composition

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Operating Conditions
Top Operating Conditions
By considering the following issues:
Site plant condition (the condition of cooling utilities
surrounding the plant)

Ttop Tcm Tapproach

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Operating Conditions
Top Operating Condition
Total condenser is the first option to use; if the operating
pressure is too high, then use partial condenser
Total condenser (all vapor condenses into liquid):
If T is designed, then P is calculated:
P
xi .Pio
Using Raoults eqn.
yi
K i .x i 1
Using bubble point eqn.

If P is designed, then T is calculated:

Using bubble point eqn.

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Operating Conditions
Top Operating Condition
If partial condenser is used:
If T is designed, then P is calculated:
Using dew point eqn.

x yi / K
i

If P designed, then T is calculated:

Using dew point eqn.

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Operating Conditions
Bottom Operating Conditions
If the top operating conditions have been designed, the bottom P
can be determined from:
Assumption that P is constant or no pressure drop along the
column, or
If there is pressure drop, then P bottom = P top + pressure
drop (bottom P > top P)
T bottom is then calculated using bubble point

K i .x i 1

In principle, the design of operating conditions of column can be

started from the bottom site, then to the top site

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Columns Dimension
The main dimensions of distillation column include: height (H)
and diameter (D)
Height of Column
The height of column is determined from:
Actual number of plates (Nact)
Tray spacing designed (t)
Space provided in the top and bottom heads (a, b)

H a ( Nact 1).t b

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Columns Dimension
The actual number of plates is correlated from the number of
theoretical equilibrium plates (N) and plate efficiency (Eff), as
Follows:

Nact N / Eff

Plate efficiency shows that in one plate the liquid and vapor are
not exactly at equilibrium.
The number of theoretical equilibrium plates can be estimated by
Graphical method (Mc Cabe Thiele, etc.)
Short cut method (Fenske-Underwood-Gilliland, etc.)
Plate to plate calculation

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Columns Dimension
Graphical method needs:
Graph of mole fractions of vapor (y) vs that of liquid (x)
Equilibrium curve, the correlation y vs x at equilibrium stage
Operating lines of enriching and rectifying sections
Feed and product compositions

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Columns Dimension
Short cut method:
Fenske Underwood Gilliland
Fenske
Fenske eqn. is used to estimate the minimum number of plates
(Nm). It works at total reflux, which is not applied in practice
Underwood
Underwood eqn. is used to estimate the minimum reflux ration
(Rm). At minimum reflux ration, it needs infinite number of
plates to produce given compositions of products.
In practice the distillation operates at R = (1.2 1.5) x Rm

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Columns Dimension
Feed Plate:
The position of feed plate may be predicted from Kirkbride eqn.,
as follows
N
log r
Ns

B
0.206 log

x
. Hk
x LK

x
. LK , B

F x HK , D

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Columns Dimension
Plate to plate calculation:
Assumption: steady state, liquid and vapor are at equilibrium,
constant molar overflow, constant heat of vaporization.
Plate to plate calculation may start from either top or bottom site.
In principle, the calculation is stopped when the plate
composition is similar to that of feed composition.

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Columns Dimension
Enriching Section:
Mass balance from the top site to the plate n,
Total mass balance:

Vn 1 Ln D

Mass balance of component i:

Or,

Vn 1 . y i ,n 1 Ln .xi ,n D.xi , D
1

The compositions of vapor

the following
is calculated
y i ,n 1in
( Ln .plate
xi , n
D.xi , D ) from the compositions of
Vn 1those of distillate
liquid in the previous plate and

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Columns Dimension
Enriching Section:
For constant molar overflow, Vn+1 = Vn = V
Ln = Ln-1 = Ln+1 = L
Then,

yi , n 1

1
( L.xi , n D.xi , D )
V

In term of reflux ratio:

y i ,n 1

R
1
xi ,n
xi , D
R 1
R 1

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Columns Dimension
Enriching Section:
To determine the compositions of liquid which are equilibrium with
those of vapor at the same plate, dew point equation is used,
as follows

i , n 1

The calculation stops when

yi , n 1

x HK

x LK

i , n 1

calc .

x HK

x LK

feed

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Columns Dimension
Stripping Section:
Mass balance from the bottom site to the plate m,
Total mass balance:

Mass balance of component i:

Or,

L'm1 V 'm B

1
(V 'm . yplate
.xi , B ) from the
The compositions ofxliquid
in the following
i , m 1
i , m isBcalculated
'm previous
compositions of vapor inLthe
plate and those of bottom product
1

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Columns Dimension
Stripping Section:
For constant molar overflow, Vn+1 = Vn = V
Ln = Ln-1 = Ln+1 = L
Then,

xi ,m 1

1
(V '.yi ,m B.xi , B )
L'

To determine the compositions of vapor which are equilibrium with those of

liquid at the same plate, bubble point equation is used, as follows
The calculation stops when

i , m 1

K i ,m 1.xi ,m 1 1
xHK

xLK

calc .

xHK
xLK

feed

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Columns Dimension
Plate Efficiency:
Correlation OConnell

Eo 51 32,5. log a . a
a = average viscosity of liquid, mN.s/m2
a = average relative volatility of LK
Another empirical correlation;

Eo 17 61.1.1og a , F

The plate efficiency may be roughly estimated by 70%

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Columns Dimension (Diameter)
By Souders, Brown, and Lowenstein:

Dcmin

4VW

. v .uv
2

u v 0,171lt 0,27lt 0,047

Vw [=] kg/s ; lt [=] m ; uv [=] m/s ; [=] kg/m3

L V
V

Design of Cascade Distillation

Design of Columns Dimension (Diameter)
By Fair:

4 An
4.VW
Dc

.(1 p )
.(1 p ). v .uv

u f K1

L V

K1 f ( FLV , lt , )