1

SEPARATION PROCESSES IV: M. AZIZ

(PMO470S)

Multi- Component Distillation:

EXAMPLE 2.2:

It is required to separate a saturated quaternary mixture containing propane (component 1), n-

butane (component 2), n-pentane (component 3) and n-hexane (component 4) at a feed rate (F)
of 1000 kmol.h-1. The system pressure is assumed constant at 1 atm. The feed is a saturated
liquid with the reflux ratio R=3, and the reflux is at its bubble point. It is desired to recover 99% of
the butane in the distillate (f2, D) and 99.5% of the pentane in the bottoms (f3, W).

Calculate:
1. The composition of the distillate and the bottom product

The composition of the components in the feed are shown as follows:

z1 0.06
z2 0.33
z3 0.45
z4 0.16
Total 1.00
 2

ANSWER:

Since the desired separations are given in terms of n-butane (-0.5oC) and n-pentane (36oC), and since n-
butane has lower boiling point than n-pentane, the LK is n-butane and HK is n-pentane. This is also
confirmed with the desired to recover 99% of the butane in the distillate (f 2, D) and 99.5% of the pentane in
the bottoms (f3, W).

Since n-propane (-42 oC) has the lowest boiling point and n-hexane (69 oC) has the highest boiling point, n-
propane is the LNK, while n-hexane is the HNK.

Feed (F) Distillate(D) Bottoms (W)

Component
xi, F (zi) kmol.h-1 xi, D kmol.h-1 xi, W kmol.h-1
1. propane (LNK) 0.06 60

2. n-butane (LK) 0.33 330

3. n-pentane (HK) 0.45 450

4. n-hexane (HNK) 0.16 160

TOTAL 1.00 1000

 3

DEGREES of FREEDOM (DoF)

Number of unknows: 10
[D; W; x1,D; x2,D; x3,D; x4,D; x1,W; x2,W; x3,W; x4,W]

Number of equations: 6
[Component mass balance equations (4), Summation equations (2)]

Degrees of freedom: 10 – 6 = 4

Specified variables:
Fractional recoveries of the LK and HK in the top and bottom product, respectively.
For the remaining two variables, it is assumed that all the LNK goes to the distillate (top product) and all
the HNK goes to the waste (bottom product). So x4,D = 0 and x1,W = 0. Thus, all the DoF have been
exhausted.

SOLUTION Q1:

1. Calculate the composition of the distillate and the bottom product

99% of component 2, n-butane (LK) is recovered at the top:

𝐷𝑥2,𝐷
𝑓2,𝐷 = = 0.99
𝐹𝑧2
𝐷𝑥2,𝐷 = (0.99) (1000) (0.33) = 326,7 kmol.h-1

Mass balance for component 2, n-butane (LK) over the distillation column:
𝑊𝑥2,𝑊 = 𝐹𝑧2 − 𝐷𝑥2,𝐷 = (1000) (0.33) – 326.7 = 3.3 kmol.h-1

99.5% of component 3, n-pentane (HK) is recovered at the bottom:

𝑊𝑥3,𝑊
𝑓3,𝑊 = = 0.995
𝐹𝑧3
𝑊𝑥3,𝑊 = (0.995) (1000) (0.45) = 447.75 kmol.h-1
 4

Mass balance for component 3, n-pentane (HK) over the distillation column:
𝐷𝑥3,𝐷 = 𝐹𝑧3 − 𝑊𝑥3,𝑤 = (1000) (0.45) – 447.75 = 2.25 kmol.h-1

Now 𝑥1,𝑊 = 0

Mass balance for component 1, propane (LNK) over the distillation column:
𝐷𝑥1,𝐷 = 𝐹𝑧1 − 𝑊𝑥1,𝑤 = (1000) (0.06) – 0 = 60 kmol.h-1

Also 𝑥4,𝐷 = 0, so 𝐷𝑥4,𝐷 = 0

The distillate flow rate is obtained from

𝐷 = ∑𝑖=1 𝐷 𝑥𝑖,𝐷 = 60 + 326,7 + 2.25 + 0 = 388.95 kmol.h-1

Overall mass balance for the column:

W = F – D = 1000 – 388.95 = 611.05 kmol.h-1
Now, 𝑥1,𝑤 + 𝑥2,𝑤 + 𝑥3,𝑤 + 𝑥4,𝑤 = 1

Solving the mass balance equations and summation equations together, we calculate the distillate and
bottoms composition:

Feed (F) Distillate(D) Bottoms (W)

Component
xi, F (zi) kmol.h-1 xi, D kmol.h-1 xi, W kmol.h-1
1. propane (LNK) 0.06 60 0.1543 60.000 0.0000 0.0000

2. n-butane (LK) 0.33 330 0.8400 326.70 0.0055 3.3000

3. n-pentane (HK) 0.45 450 0.0057 2.2500 0.7327 447.75

4. n-hexane (HNK) 0.16 160 0.0000 0.0000 0.2618 160.00

TOTAL 1.00 1000 1.0000 388.95 1.0000 611.05