1.

Isothermal Flash – Worked Examples

30 kmol/h of a mixture containing 45% methanol in water is to be
flashed isothermally at 1 atm.

(i) If the top product is to contain 58% methanol, calculate the

temperature in the still and the flow and composition of each
stream
condenser
Streams D & W are at the same
temperature, and are in
equilibrium in the flash vessel
D
F

Use a T-x-y diagram for methanol-

water at the flash pressure…
heat W
 Worked Examples

Methanol-water at 1 atm
105

100

95

90

85
T (°C)

80

75

70

65

60
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
x,y

Since
Read
Top thethe
off twoxtemperature….T
product, streams are at the ysame
= 81.8°C temperature and in equilibrium, the liquid
Locate y = 0.58D =on
0.58, therefore
the dew point = 0.58
line
composition can be read from the bubble point line. xw = 0.197
 Worked Examples

D xF  xW
Use Equation 2.3 for D/F: 
F xD  xW

D 0.45  0.197
  0.661
F 0.58  0.197
So, if we have a feed flowrate, F, of 30 kmol/h then from above:

D = 19.83 kmol/h

From an overall mass balance, F = D + W (Equation 2.1)

W = 11.17 kmol/h
 Worked Examples

(ii) If 20% of the feed is to be evaporated, calculate the

temperature in the still and the composition of the top and bottom
products
condenser
Streams D & W are at the same
temperature and are in equilibrium
in the flash vessel
D
F

D/F = 0.2, but we need to relate

D/F to xw and xD.
heat W

D xF  xW 1 f  xF
y
1 f 
x
xF
 xD  x 
F xD  xW
W
f f f f
 Worked Examples

y
1 f 
x
xF
f f

D/F = f = 0.2, and xF = 0.45 so the above equation becomes…

y  4 x  2.25
If we plot this equation on the x-y diagram for methanol-water, the
point where the equilibrium curve is crossed gives us xD and xW.
 Worked Examples
Methanol-water at 1 atm y  4 x  2.25

When x = 0.45, y = 0.45

xD = 0.72 When x = 0.35, y = 0.85

xw and xD can be read from the

two relationships

We now have the composition

of top and bottom products, but
what about the temperature?

Use the T-x-y diagram for

xw = 0.38 methanol-water at 1 atm.
 Worked Examples
Methanol-water at 1 atm
105

100

95

90

85
T (°C)

80

75

70

65

60
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
x,y

xD = 0.72,
Read soTemperature,
find y = 0.72 on
T =the dew point curve
Verifyoff the
that xw = 0.38 75.7°C
 Worked Examples

(iii) If the still is maintained at 85°C, calculate the flowrate and

composition of each stream

condenser
Streams D & W are at 85°C in the
flash vessel, and are in equilibrium

D
F
A T-x-y diagram can be used to
give the compositions….
heat W
 Worked Examples
Methanol-water at 1 atm
105

100

95

90

85
T (°C)

80

75

70

65

60
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
x,y

Read off T-x-y diagram at 85°C. xw at bubble point and xD at dew point

xw = 0.14 xD = 0.5
 Worked Examples

Now we have xw and xD we can calculate D/F:

D xF  xW

F xD  xW

D 0.45  0.14
  0.861
F 0.5  0.14

So, for a feed flowrate of 30 kmol/h:

D = 25.83 kmol/h W = 4.17 kmol/h

 Worked Examples

(iv) If the still is maintained at 90°C, calculate the flowrate and

composition of each stream

condenser
Streams D & W are at 90°C in the
flash vessel, and are in equilibrium

D Use the T-x-y diagram as before,

F
but D/F will be greater than 1

What does this imply?

heat W
 Worked Examples

105

100

95

90

85
T (°C)

80

75

70

65

60
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
x,y

 At 90°C, all of the feed turns to vapour with no separation.

 The maximum temperature at which the still could operate is the dew point
corresponding to the feed composition
 2. Adiabatic Flash – Worked Examples
460 kg/h of a mixture containing 20% wt ethanol in water at high
pressure is to be flashed adiabatically at a pressure of 1 atm.

(i) If the enthalpy of the feed stream is 1260 kJ/kg, calculate the
temperature in the still and the product compositions and flows

condenser
We need to relate temperature,
enthalpy and composition for
the conditions in the still (1 atm).
D
F
P1 P2 Use an enthalpy-composition
diagram for ethanol-water
W
 2. Adiabatic Flash – Worked Examples

Check the pressure is the same as in our still…. What does 1 kg/cm2
correspond to?
 2. Adiabatic Flash – Worked Examples

1 kg/cm2 = 10 N/cm2 = 100000 N/m2 = 100 kPa = 1 atm

The enthalpy-composition diagram is valid for this scenario.

Q: Since pressure has no effect on the enthalpy of a liquid

or an ideal gas, why do we need to check that the pressure
at which the h-x diagram corresponds is the same as that in
the still?
 2. Adiabatic Flash – Worked Examples

Locate the feed condition. xf = 0.30 (w/w) and hf = 1260 kJ/kg

1 kcal = 4.2 kJ, so hf = 300 kcal/kg

 2. Adiabatic Flash – Worked Examples

An isothermal tie line through the feed point will yield the compositions xD and xw
Temperature can be interpolated between the two isotherms – T = 93.6°C
 2. Adiabatic Flash – Worked Examples

Read-off xw and xD xw = 0.06, xD = 0.47

 2. Adiabatic Flash – Worked Examples

Now we have xw and xD we can calculate D/F:

D xF  xW

F xD  xW

D 0.30  0.06
  0.585
F 0.47  0.06

So, for a feed flowrate of 460 kg/h:

D = 269.1 kg/h W = 190.9 kg/h

 2. Adiabatic Flash – Worked Examples

We could have also used hw and HD from the h-x diagram:

D hF  hW

F H D  hW
…but it is much more difficult to read off accurate enthalpy values in this case