Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Lecture 1 Intro. to Separations

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Objectives
Explain the role of separation operations in the chemical industries
Explain what constitutes the separation of a mixture and how each of the
five basic separation techniques works.
Make a selection of separation operations based on factors involving feed
and product property differences and characteristics of separation
operations.

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Introduction
Separations have been a key process for thousands of years

Extracts metal from ores

Perfume from flower

Dyes from plant

Evaporation of sea water to obtain salt

Distil liquor

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Introduction
40% 70% of total plant capital and operating costs

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Introduction
The lower the concentration of
a substrate in its natural form
the higher the cost of that
substrate
Cost is driven by the cost of the
separation

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Mechanism of Separation
Mixing of chemicals is spontaneous increase entropy and randomness
Separation of chemicals requires the uses of energy
Separations includes:

Separation of component A from mixture in homogenous phase

Separation of component A from mixture in different phases

If two or more immiscible phases exist mechanical separation is preferable

e.g. Centrifuge, pressure reduction, electric/magnetic field

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Application of Separations
Raw Material
Physical
Transformation
Product 1
Water
Distilled water
Crude oil Gasoline
Air
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Coconut Cooking oil
Limestone Gravel

Chemical
Transformation
Product 2
Water
Hydrogen
Crude oil Polyester
Air
Ethylene glycol
Coconut Medicinal oil
Limestone Cement

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Classifying Separations - Property

Molecular properties

Molecular weight

Polarizability

van der Waals volume

Dielectric constant

van der Waals area

Electric charge

Molecular shape (acentric factor)

Radius of gyration

Dipole moment

Thermodynamic and transport properties

Vapour pressure

Adsorptivity

Solubility

Diffusivity

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Classifying Separations - Method

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Phase Creation
Involve the creation of a second phase that is immiscible with the feed.
Accomplished by energy or pressure reduction.
Suitable for mixture that have tendency to vapourise.
e.g. Evaporation, sublimation, crystallization, distillation.

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Partial Condensation or Vaporisation

Feed phase

vapour and/or liquid

Created phase

vapour or liquid

Separating agent

Heat transfer (ESA)

Separating property

vapour pressure (relative volatility)

Example

Recovery of H2 and N2 from ammonia

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Distillation
Feed phase

vapour and/or liquid

Created phase

Vapour and liquid

Separating agent

Heat transfer (ESA)

Separating property

vapour pressure (relative volatility)

Example

Purification of styrene

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Evaporation
Feed phase

liquid

Created phase

vapour

Separating agent

Heat transfer (ESA)

Separating property

vapour pressure

Example

Evaporation of water from a solution

of urea and water

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Crystallisation
Feed phase

liquid

Created phase

solid

Separating agent

Heat transfer (ESA)

Separating property

solubility

Example

Crystallisation of p-xylene from a

mixture with m-xylene

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Drying
Feed phase

Liquid and/or solid

Created phase

vapour

Separating agent

Heat transfer (ESA) and/or gas (MSA)

Separating property

Vapour pressure

Example

Removal of water from

polyvinylchloride

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Phase Addition
For separation of homogenous, single phase mixture, a second immiscible
phase must be developed.
This is achieved by:

Creation of energy separating agent (ESA)

Mass separating agent (MSA)

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Phase Addition
Disadvantages of MSA:

Need additional separator to recover MSA

Need for MSA make up

Possible contamination of the product

More difficult design procedure

When 2 immiscible fluid phases are contacted, intimate mixing of the 2

phases is important in enhancing mass transfer rates.
After phase contact, employing gravity and/or enhanced techniques
completed the separation process.

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Extractive Distillation
Feed phase

Liquid and/or vapour

Added phase

Liquid and/or vapour

Separating agent

Liquid solvent (MSA) and heat transfer (ESA)

Separating property

Modified relative volatility and solubility

Example

Separation of ethanol from water

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Absorption
Feed phase

vapour

Added phase

Liquid

Separating agent

Liquid absorbent (MSA)

Separating property

solubility

Example

Separation of carbon dioxide from

combustion products

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Stripping
Feed phase

liquid

Added phase

vapour

Separating agent

Stripping vapour (MSA)

Separating property

solubility

Example

Stream stripping of naphtha from crude

distillation

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Liquid-Liquid Extraction
Feed phase

liquid

Added phase

liquid

Separating agent

Liquid solvent (MSA)

Separating property

solubility

Example

Recovery of penicillin by methyl isobutyl

ketone.

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Separation by Barrier
Includes the use of microporous and nonporous membrane as
semipermeable barriers
Membrane are fabricated from polymer, natural fiber, ceramic, metal etc.
Microporous membrane separation occur at different diffusion rate
Nonporous separation based on the solubility

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Membranes
Feed phase

liquid

Separating agent

Membrane with pressure gradient

Separating property

Molecular size

Example

Separation of whey from cheese

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Membranes

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Pervaporation
Feed phase

liquid

Separating agent

Membrane with pressure gradient

Separating property

Vapour pressure / molecular size

Example

Separation of azeotropic mixtures

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Solid Agent
Process that use solid mass-separating agents.
Solid normally in the form of a granular material or packing, e.g.

activated carbon,

aliminium oxide,

silica gel, or

calcium aluminosilicate zeolite.

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Adsorption
Feed phase

Vapour or liquid

Separating agent

Solid adsorbent

Separating property

Adsorbance

Example

Purification of p-xylene

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Chromatography
Feed phase

Vapour or liquid

Separating agent

Solid adsorbent

Separating property

Adsorbance

Example

Purification of proteins from

complex mixtures

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Ion Exchange
Feed phase

liquid

Separating agent

Resin with ion-active sites

Separating property

Adsorbance

Example

Demineralization of water

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Force Field/Gradient
External fields can take advantage of differing degrees of response of
molecules and ions to force fields
Can be used to enhance current separation techniques

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Gravity Settling
Feed phase

gas/liquid/solid

Separating agent

gravity

Separating property

density

Example

Water treatment

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Centrifugation
Feed phase

Gas or liquid

Separating agent

Centrifugal force field

Separating property

Density / particle size

Example

Separation of uranium isotopes

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Cyclone
Feed phase

solid

Separating agent

Centrifugal force field

Separating property

Density / particle size

Example

Dust collection

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Electrolysis
Feed phase

liquid

Separating agent

electrical force field

Separating property

Electric dipole

Example

Concentration of heavy water

Dr T Rodgers AES 2014.

Summary of Learning Outcomes

Why separations are important.
How to classify types of separations.
Knowledge of key separator types.
Knowledge of material properties used for separations.