01 Lecture Note - Binary Flash Distillation

Binary Flash Distillation
Concept of phase equilibrium

Equilibrium relationships
Flash distillation
Design issues
Binary flash distillation design
Problem to test your understanding
Compulsory reading: Chapter 2 (sections 2.1 to 2.3, 2.4, 2.4.1, and 2.5) from the text book
Farooq/CN3132/Flash Distillation-1
Flash Distillation simplest separation process in chemical industry

V, yA, yB, TV
Vapor pressure of A: pA
Vapor pressure of B: pB
Demister
Heat
Pdrum
Tdrum
Feed
A+B
Expand
Demister
prevents
liquid
droplet
entrained
in vapor
Feed is a liquid mixture

Methanol (A) water (B)
Propane (A) butane (B)
Water (A) salt (B)
pA>pB
(A is lighter component)
yA>zA
(lighter component enriched in V)
xB>zB
(heavier component enriched in L)
Pressurize
Degree of separation high if pA>pB
Mole
Mole
fraction fraction
ofA
ofB
Feed,F
zA
zB
Vapor,V
yA
yB
Liquid,L
xA
xB
L, XA, XB, TL
Very suitable for desalination
What can we say from the equilibrium design method?

V and L are in equilibrium
TL = TV = Tdrum
Liquid and vapor stream pressures = Pdrum
y= f(x)
yi / xi= Ki (distribution coefficient) = f(P, T and all xi)
xA + xB = 1 = yA + yB
Models relating y to x at equilibrium were covered in CN2121
Simple equations for ideal systems
Complex equations for non-deal systems
Design of the flash process depends on good equilibrium data

Experimental data
DePriester chart for hydrocarbons
Estimated K values
Simple thermodynamic model for

ideal systems
Experimental vapor-liquid equilibrium data (including non-ideal systems)

T-x-y plot
Tabular (complete with temperature and pressure)

XEt
0
0.019
0.0966
0.1661
0.2608
0.3965
0.5198
0.6763
0.7472
1.0
Xw
1.0
0.981
0.9034
0.8339
0.7382
0.6035
0.4802
0.3237
0.2528
0
YEt
0
0.17
0.4375
0.5089
0.5580
0.6122
0.6599
0.7385
0.7815
1.0
Yw
1.0
0.83
0.5625
0.4911
0.4420
0.3878
0.3401
0.2615
0.2185
0
T, C
100
95.5
86.7
84.1
82.3
80.7
79.7
78.74
78.41
78.3
P, atm
x-y diagram
x-y diagram is widely used in binary vapor-liquid
separation
x-y diagram usually scales from 0-1 on both axes
The diagonal joins (0, 0) and (1,1) points and is an
important reference line
DePriester chart: K values for light hydrocarbons

This is Figure 2-12 from the text book. For lower temperature see Figure 2-11
Read K values methane, ethylene, iso-propane and

n-octane at 200 kPa and 50 oC
Vapor-liquid equilibrium for an ideal system
yi
K i ,whereK i f P, T , allxi
xi
y
For ideal systems : i K i ,whereK i f P, T
xi
In general:
The following identities apply for both ideal and nonideal systems
n
n
n
n y
yi 1; xi 1; K i xi 1; i 1
i 1
i 1
i 1
i 1K i
Raoults Law:
Dalton's Law:
pi pio xi
p
yi i
P
For an ideal system :
Antoine equation:
pio
Ki
P
ln pio Ai
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
xi.
xii.
(1)
Bi
T Ci
How to generate x-y-T data from Ki values

Illustration for a binary system
(2)
Set system pressure (say, P=1 atm)

x = 0.1 (depends on how many data points)
xA = 0.1
xB = 1-xA
Guess T
Calculate KA and KB from Eqs (1) and (2) or
from DePriester Chart
Check if K A x A K B xB 1
If no, go back to (iv). If yes, continue
y A K A x A ; y B K B xB
Store xA, yA and T

Check if xA = 1
If yes, stop. If no, xA = xA + x and go to (iv)
Repeat from (iii) for another pressure
Ai, Bi, Ci are constants for pure components. These

are tabulated in various data sources. Tables of pure
component vapor pressures are also available.
Approximate equilibrium equation for a binary system
Relative volatility,
AB
K A p oA
foridealsystem
K B pBo
AB means no separation
>1 or <1 necessary for vapor-liquid separation
K A f T ; K B f T ;
Agoodassumptionformany systems is AB f T
yA
AB
yA
KA
xA
xA
1 y A
K B yB
1 x A
xB
Uponrearrangement :
AB x A
(3)
yA
1 AB 1 x A
Short-cut to vapor-liquid
equilibrium data
Obtain KA and KB from Eq (1) and (2)
or from DePriester Chart at the desired
P and a representative T
Use
AB
KA
in Eq (3) to generate
KB
yA vs xA data
Useful for preliminary design
Cannot give the operating T
Multicomponent systems
2D plots cannot be used
Polynomial equations fitted to
DePriester chart are used
See eq (2-30) and Table 2-3 in text
book
Degrees of freedom in a binary two-phase system

Gibbs phase rule: F = C P + 2
T, P, xA and yA are the 4 independent variables
For a binary vapor-liquid system:

F=2
You can choose to fix only 2 variables
F: degrees of freedom
C: number of components
P: number of phase
Test your understanding

You are asked to determine the system pressure that is required to bring a 50:50 liquid mixture of A:B to come
to equilibrium with a 70:30 vapor mixture of A:B at 70oC. Is this possible?
Yes
No
Which of the following is/are possible?
1/2/3
1. A binary vapor-liquid system is at 50oC and 1 atm pressure. Find the composition of the two phases.
2. From a given liquid mixture, obtain a specific vapor mixture at specified temperature and pressure.
3. Condense a vapor mixture to obtain a desired liquid mixture.
What do we mean by designing a flash system?

Remember: x and y are in equilibrium
Loop 1
Typically F, z, T1 and P1 will be known
Loop 2
Given
Tdrum, Pdrum
x, y,
F, z
T1, P1
V
L
or
F
F
Calculate
V L
x, y, ,
F F
Tdrum, Pdrum
TF from energy balance

around Loop 1
PF is chosen to prevent
boiling at TF
QH
QH from energy balance

around Loop 2
Drum height
and diameter
Empirical method depends

only on densities and mass
flow rates of L and V
QH
V, y, HV
F, z
TF, PF, hF
IDEAL
STAGE
Overall and component mass

balances around Loop 1
TF and PF
TF,
PF, hF
Pumping
& Heating
How?
L, x, hL
Adiabatic process.
Pressure reduction from PF to Pdrum across the
valve causes part of the feed to flash from the
liquid to the vapor state. Internal enthalpy
supply causes Tdrum < TF
Simultaneous solution of (6a) and (7)
Binary Flash Distillation
Numerical
General method including multi-component
Analytical
Equation for equilibrium data, e.g., eq (4)
Graphical simple and insightful
Loop 1
V, y, HV
F, z
TF, PF, hF
IDEAL
STAGE
L, x, hL
Overall mass balance
F V L
L
1 f
v
f
Eq (6a) intersects diagonal at x y z
Slope of eq (6a)
(5)
Component balance (more volatile species)
f=0
0.8
V
L
y x fy (1 f )x
F
F
V
L FV
where
f and therefore
1 f
F
F
F
or, z
yBenzene
Fz Vy Lx
(6)
1
0.4
0.2
Z = 0.5
0
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
xBenzene
0.8
Benzene-toluene equilibrium
Rearranging eq (6a):
1 f
z
x (Operating line)
f
f
(6a)
Equilibrium relationship: y f x,T,P
(7)
Diagonal
(x = y)
0.5
0.6

Effect of vapor rate on ybenzene?
Range over which ybenzene can be varied?
Condition to prevent boiling at TF

yi Ki TF,PF xi <1
Feed Temperature, TF
Loop 1
V, y, HV
F, z
TF, PF, hF
Pump size to pressurize from P1 to PF

P P1 b a g b Vb2 a v a2
Wp F
hf
gc
2gc
IDEAL
STAGE
L, x, hL
Energy balance around Loop: 1
FhF Qflash VHv LhL
(8)
(9a)
hL xiCLi (Tdrum Tref )
(9b)
(9c)
Hv yi i Cvi (Tdrum Tref )
F, z
T1, P1
Loop 2
Pumping
& Heating
TF,
PF, hF
QH
where
Qflash 0 (adiabatic)
hF ziCLi (TF Tref )
(9d)
In (a) (d) CL is liquid heat capacity

is latent heat of vaporization
Cv is vapour heat capacity
When F,zi,xi,yi,Tdrum and Pdrum are known,
after substituting (a) (d) and the physical
properties in eq (8), the only unknown is TF
Heat Load, QH
Energy balance around Loop: 2
QH Fh1 FhF
or, QH F hF h1
(10)
After determining TF, hF is calculated

from eq (9c)
h1 ziCLi (T1 Tref )
(11)
When F,zi,TF and PF are known, QH is

obtained after substituting eqs (9c) and
(11), and the physical properties in eq (10)
Test your understanding: Problem 1

A flash distillation chamber operating at 1 atm (101.3 kPa) is separating ethanol-water mixture containing 60 mole % ethanol. (a) Is
it possible to get a vapor product containing 80 mole% ethanol from this unit? (b) If the drum temperature is 85 oC, find x, y,
V L
, .
F F
(c) What should be the drum temperature if we want 50% of the feed to evaporate in the flash drum? Find the corresponding
changes in x and y.
(b)
(c)
(a)
Hints
(a) Draw the operating quadrant of a flash unit (see page 2-10, if in doubt)
Now locate the vapor product leaving the unit. Remember, Vapor and liquid products leaving a flash unit are
assumed to be in equilibrium. Hence, vapor/liquid product composition is a point on the vapor-liquid equilibrium
line. Knowing any one composition is sufficient to locate the point.
(b) You can read x and y directly from the T vs. x or y plot. This (x, y) is a point on the vapor-liquid equilibrium line.
You know the feed composition and therefore you have another point on the diagonal. The line joining these
two points is the operating line. From the slope of this line you should be able to find
V
L
and .
F
F
(c) In part (b), you went from T vs. x or y plot to x vs. y plot. Now you do the reverse. Since the feed composition is
known, the point you had identified on the diagonal remains unchanged. You now find the slope of the
operating line corresponding to
V
=0.5. This line will give you the composition of the vapor and liquid products.
F
Use this information in the T vs. x or y plot to find required flash drum temperature.
To be solved in class
180
1. The T-x-y data for toluene-phenol system at 1 atm pressure

is given in Figure 2. It has been decided that a 35:65 mixture
of toluene and phenol will be flash distilled at a feed rate of
1000 kmol/hr in a flash drum at 1 atm pressure and 140 oC.
o
T ( C)
a. Find toluene mole fractions in the vapor and liquid

streams leaving the flash unit. Show your drawings in
Figure 2.
b. Calculate the vapor flow rate leaving the flash unit
c. Calculate the diameter of the drum if the permissible
vapor velocity is 2 m/s. Average molecular weight of
the vapor is 92.5. Molar density of the vapor is 0.0295
kmol/m3.
Vapor
160
140
120
Liquid
100
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
xT or yT
Figure: 2
2. Two flash distillation chambers are hooked together as shown in the diagram. Both are at 1 atm pressure. The feed to the
first drum is a binary mixture of methanol and water that is 55 mole % methanol. Feed flowrate is 10,000 kg moles/hr. The
V
0.7 and the liquid product composition is 25 mole % methanol. Equilibrium data at 1
F 2
second drum operates with
Table 1
atm are given in Table 1.

a. What is the fraction vaporized in the first flash drum?
b. What are y1, y2, x1, Tdrum1 and Tdrum2?
Mole % Methanol
Liquid
Vapour
Temp C
100
2.0
13.4
96.4
4.0
23.0
93.5
6.0
30.4
91.2
8.0
36.5
89.3
10.0
41.8
87.7
15.0
51.7
84.4
20.0
57.9
81.7
30.0
66.5
78.0
40.0
72.9
75.3
50.0
77.9
73.1
60.0
82.5
71.2
70.0
87.0
69.3
80.0
91.5
67.6
90.0
95.8
66.0
95.0
97.9
65.0
100.0
100.0
64.5

Separation process design is an integration of knowledge acquired in various CN modules. Identify the roles of
the following modules in the context of a flash system design:
CN1111 Chemical Engineering Principles
CN2121 Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
CN2122 Fluid Mechanics
CN 2125 Heat and Mass Transfer
How would you describe integrating role of the present module?
What is the role of CN3121 Process Dynamics and Control in separation process design? Answer this question
after you have developed some idea about the content of CN3121.
Homework 1 (CN 3132)

1. The outlet air from the paint formulation chamber of a paint industry shown in the figure is saturated with solvent hexane. The
outlet air stream is at atmospheric pressure and 25 oC. A consultant has been hired to design a flash separator that will
remove at least 90% of hexane from the outlet air before discharging the air steam to atmosphere. Available in the store is a
cooling system that can cool the outlet air stream up to -5 oC. Also available is a compressor that can compress the air
stream up to 600 kPa. The consultant has recommended that the flash separator be operated at 0 oC and 200 kPa. K values
of hexane at 2 different conditions are also included in the figure below.
Fresh air
Hexane saturated
outlet air
10 moles/hr
Paint
formulation
chamber
Maximum 10% of hexane in
Nearly pure
K values of hexane.
Pressure Temp
K
1 atm
25 oC
0.2
200 kPa 0 oC 0.035
(i) Find the flow rate of the hexane stream leaving the bottom of the flash unit assuming 90% removal.
(ii) Do you agree with the recommendation of the consultant? Show the calculations in support of your answer.
2. The process flow diagram for an ethyl benzene manufacturing process is shown in Figure Q1. The separation processes,
consisting of a flash unit (V-302) and two multi-stage distillation units (T-301 and T-302), are shown in Block 1 of the figure.
The temperatures, pressures and compositions of the streams entering and exiting these units are given in Table Q1.
i) What is the composition (in mole fractions) of the stream entering the flash unit (V-302)?
ii) According to Table Q1, the flash unit (V-302) operates at 73.6oC and 110kPa. Calculate the partition coefficients (K values)
of all the components in this unit.
Table Q1: Information on the streams entering and exiting the separation units.
Stream Number
Temperature
(oC)
Pressure
(kPa)
Ethylene
Ethane
Propylene
Benzene
Ethylbenzene
1,4Diethylbenzene
15
16
17
18
19
20
73.6
73.6
81.4
145.4
139.0
191.1
110.0
110.0
105.0
120.0
110.0
140.0
0.54
7.0
2.0
8.38
0.71
0.013
0.0
0.0
0.0
169.46
91.54
10.35
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.17
89.72
0.0001
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.91
10.35
Flow rate (kmol/hr)

0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
169.23
0.17
0.92
90.63
0.0
10.35
Block 1
Figure Q1: Process flow diagram for an ethyl benzene manufacturing process.
3. Natural gas is considered as the cleanest among the fossil fuels. In many natural gas fields, the gas contains N2, CO2,
C2H6, C3H8 and C4H10 in addition to CH4. A representative composition of natural gas found in the Middle East is given in
Table Q3 below. Design a flash unit to recover 99% of C2H6.Clearly state your assumptions and verify them after completing
the design.
Table Q3: Composition of natural gas from a gas field in the Middle East.
Component
H2 S
CO2
CH4
C2 H6
C3 H8
C4H10
Mole %
5
10
75
5
3
2

01 Lecture Note - Binary Flash Distillation

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Binary Flash Distillation

Concept of phase equilibrium

Flash Distillation simplest separation process in chemical industry

Feed is a liquid mixture

Very suitable for desalination

What can we say from the equilibrium design method?

Design of the flash process depends on good equilibrium data

DePriester chart for hydrocarbons

Simple thermodynamic model for

Experimental vapor-liquid equilibrium data (including non-ideal systems)

Tabular (complete with temperature and pressure)

DePriester chart: K values for light hydrocarbons

Read K values methane, ethylene, iso-propane and

Vapor-liquid equilibrium for an ideal system

For an ideal system :

How to generate x-y-T data from Ki values

Set system pressure (say, P=1 atm)

Store xA, yA and T

Ai, Bi, Ci are constants for pure components. These

Approximate equilibrium equation for a binary system

Degrees of freedom in a binary two-phase system

T, P, xA and yA are the 4 independent variables

For a binary vapor-liquid system:

You can choose to fix only 2 variables

Test your understanding

What do we mean by designing a flash system?

Typically F, z, T1 and P1 will be known

TF from energy balance

QH from energy balance

Empirical method depends

Overall and component mass

Simultaneous solution of (6a) and (7)

Binary Flash Distillation

Overall mass balance

Component balance (more volatile species)

Equilibrium relationship: y f x,T,P

Test your understanding

Condition to prevent boiling at TF

Pump size to pressurize from P1 to PF

Energy balance around Loop: 1

FhF Qflash VHv LhL

hL xiCLi (Tdrum Tref )

Hv yi i Cvi (Tdrum Tref )

hF ziCLi (TF Tref )

In (a) (d) CL is liquid heat capacity

After determining TF, hF is calculated

When F,zi,TF and PF are known, QH is

Test your understanding: Problem 1

1. The T-x-y data for toluene-phenol system at 1 atm pressure

a. Find toluene mole fractions in the vapor and liquid

second drum operates with

atm are given in Table 1.

Test your understanding

Homework 1 (CN 3132)

Maximum 10% of hexane in

Flow rate (kmol/hr)

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