Practice Problems

Separation Processes (CHE311)

Instructor: Professor Farnood

Single Equilibrium Stages and Flash Calculations
1. Problem # 4.10. (Ans: x
A
= 0.4575 for bottoms, y
A
= 0.6275, for distillate)
2. In a chemical plant, a mixture of propane (C3) and normal butane (nC4) is to be
separated in an isothermal flash drum operating at 200
o
F and 200 psia. The flow
rate of C3 and nC4 are 20 and 180 kmol/h, respectively. The K-values for C3 and
nC4 at the above temperature and pressure are 2.056 and 0.925, respectively.
a) Determine the flow rate and composition of the liquid stream leaving the flash
drum.
b) Due to a plant upset, the flow rate of C3 in the feed stream entering the flash
drum is increased to 30 kmol/h while the flow rate of nC4 remains unchanged
at 180 kmol/h. Assuming that the temperature and pressure stays at 200
o
F and
200 psia, does any separation occur in the flash drum under these conditions?
why?



F
C3
nC4
V, y
L, x
200 psia
200
o
F
F
C3
nC4
V, y
L, x
200 psia
200
o
F

Single stage Absorption:
3. Problem# 4.63 (#4.62 in 2
nd
Edition) (Ans: X
A,out
= 0.0051)
Multi-stage Absorption:
4. Problem # 6.7. (Ans : a) 1.74, b) Y
1
= 0.024)
5. Problem #6.10. (Ans : a) about 3 stages, b) X
1
= 0.0217, c) between 5 & 6 stages)
6. Problem #6.8 (Ans: a. minimum L/V=1.06, b.N=9, c. x=0.113)
7. Problem #6.11 (Ans: DCA = 0.005 ppm)
8. Air stripping is a cost effective technology for removing volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) from contaminated ground water. In a pilot set up, ground
water contaminated with TCE is introduced to a square Plexiglas column
measuring 0.41 cm 0.41 cm in cross section and packed with 1.52 m of a
commercial random packing (LANPAC with nominal size of 5.8 cm). TCE
concentrations in the inlet and outlet water streams are 11.910
-9
and 5.710
-9
(in
mole fraction), respectively. The molar flow rates of air and water are G = 1.94
kmol/h and L = 435 kmol/h, respectively, and inlet air has no TCE. The stripper
operates at 20
o
C and atmospheric pressure (P =1 atm). Using Henrys law under
the above operating conditions, the equilibrium relationship for TCE is given by:
y
TCE
= 1100 x
TCE
, where y
TCE
and x
TCE
are the mole fractions of TCE in air and
water, respectively.
a) Determine the number of transfer units based on the liquid phase (N
OL
)?
b) Determine the number of theoretical stages and HETP?
c) To further reduce the concentration of TCE in the treated water, it has
been suggested to increase the air flow rate by orders of magnitude.
However, concern has been raised that a drastic increase in air flow rate
may result in flooding. Using the generalized pressure drop chart (below),
determine the maximum air flow rate before flooding could occur. The
packing factor for this random packing is F
p
= 69 m
2
/m
3
and
. 1 } { } { = =
L L
f f
Data:
Average densities and molecular weights of liquid and gas streams are:
kg/kmol 18 M , kg/m 1000
L
3
= =
L
& kg/kmol 9 2 M , kg/m 2 . 1
G
3
= =
G

g = 9.8 m/ s
2




Mass Transfer
9. Problem # 3.35 (Ans: k
c
= 0.315 cm/s)
10. Problem # 3.38 (Ans: a. n
water
=5.5 x 10
-4
mol/s, b. K
G
= 1.24 x 10
-4
mol/s.cm
2
.atm)
11. Problem # 3.39 (Ans: a. kp = 0.893 lbmol/h-ft
2
-atm )

Distillation
12. We wish to separate ethanol from water in a distillation column with a total
condenser and a kettle reboiler. Feed is 1000 kmol/h with a composition of 25
mol% ethanol, and is saturated liquid. We desire a distillate product with 80 mol%
ethanol. The recovery of ethanol is 96% (i.e.96% of ethanol in feed will end up in
the distillate) . External reflux is saturated liquid. Column pressure is 1 atm and it
is well insulated. The feed is to be introduced at its optimum location. Assuming
constant molar overflow (CMO):
a. Find the minimum reflux ratio and explain briefly how you calculated it.
b. Calculate the flow rate and composition of bottom product.
c. If bottom product contains 1.4% ethanol and the external reflux ratio is 2
calculate:
L, x
in
G, y
in
=0
Air
Contaminated
Groundwater
L, x
out
G, y
out
20
o
C
1 atm
L, x
in
G, y
in
=0
Air
Contaminated
Groundwater
L, x
out
G, y
out
20
o
C
1 atm
i. Slope of q-line.
ii. Slopes of operating lines for rectifying and stripping sections.
iii. Number of theoretical stages using McCabe-Thiele graphical
method.
iv. Estimate the actual number of trays using OConnell correlation:
226 . 0
) ( 3 . 50

=
o
E where & are relative volatility and liquid viscosity (in
cP), respectively. Assume average liquid viscosity is 0.36 cP and use the
geometric average relative volatility of top and bottom of the column:
bottom top avg
o o o =

Ethanol-Water Equilibrium @ 1 atm

0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
x (Ethanol)
y

(
E
t
h
a
n
o
l
)


13. (Chap. 7, Exercise 7.9) Liquid air is fed to the top of a perforated-tray reboiler
stripper operated at 1 atm. 60% of the oxygen in the feed is to be drawn off in the
bottoms vapor product, which is to contain 0.2 mol% nitrogen. Based on the
assumptions and equilibrium data below, calculate : (a) the mole % nitrogen in the
vapor from the top plate, (b) the vapor generated in the still per 1`00 moles of feed,
and (c) the number of stages required. Assume constant molar overflow equal to
the moles of feed. Liquid air contains 20.9 mol% oxygen and 79.1 mol% nitrogen.
The equilibrium data in 1 atm are:
Temp, K mol% N
2
in
liquid
mol% N
2
in
vapor
77.35 100 100
77.98 90 97.17
78.73 79 93.62
79.44 70 90.31
80.33 60 85.91
81.35 50 80.46
82.54 40 73.50
83.94 30 64.05
85.62 20 50.81
87.67 10 31.00
90.17 0 0

14. (Chap. 7, Exercise 7.15) A continouous distillation with a refulux ration of 3.5
yields a distillate containing 97 wt% B (benzene) and a bottoms of 98 wt% T
(toluene). Due to weld failures, the 10 stirpping plates in the bottom section of the
column are ruined, but the 14 upper rectifying plates are intact. It is suggested that
the column still be used, with the feed as saturated vapor at the dew point, with F =
13,600 kg/h containing 40 wt% B and 60 wt% T. Assuming that the plate
efficiency remains unchanged at 50%: (a) can this column still yield a distillate
containing 97 wt% B? (b) how much distillate is there? (c) what is the residue
compostion in mole %?

Equilibrium data in mole-fraction benzene, 101 kPa
y 0.21 0.37 0.51 0.64 0.72 0.79 0.86 0.91 0.96 0.98
x 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.95


Extraction

15. A solution containing 10 g/L of a valuable protein and 1 g/L of a protein impurity
is extracted in a stirred vessel using an organic solvent. Distribution coefficient K
= 8 for the valuable protein and 0.5 for the impurity. The initial volume is 500 L,
and 400 L of solvent are used for the extraction. What are the final concentrations
in the two phases, and what fraction of each protein is recovered in the solvent
phase?
16. An organic solute is to be extracted from a dilute aqueous solution using a solvent
with a distribution coefficient of 6.8. For a continuous counterflow extractor, how
many ideal stages are needed if the solvent flow is 0.35 times the solution flow and
99 percent recovery of the solute is required.
17. In a continuous countercurrent train of mixer-settlers, 100 kg/h of a 40:60 acetone-
water solution is to be reduced to 10 percent acetone by extraction with pure 1,1,2-
trichloroethylene at 25C. (a) Find the minimum solvent rate. (b) At 1.8 times the
minimum (solvent rate)/(feed rate), find the minimum number of stages required.
(c) For conditions of part (b) find the mass flow rates of all streams. Use the
McCabe-Thiele method (see below for the x,y diagram)
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
0.
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
0.
x (acetone in raffinate)
y

(
a
c
e
t
o
n
e

i
n

e
x
t
r
a
c
t
)
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
0.
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
0.
x (acetone in raffinate)
y

(
a
c
e
t
o
n
e

i
n

e
x
t
r
a
c
t
)



18. Problem # 8.28,
19. Problem # 8.30,
20. Problem # 8.31
21. Problem # 8.32
22. A multistage RDC extraction column uses water as solvent (continuous phase) to
separate acetone from an organic mixture (dispersed phase). Flow rates of the
solvent and the organic solution streams are 000 , 12 =
c
m and 000 , 15 =
D
m kg/h,
respectively. Densities of the dispersed and continuous phases ae 750 and 1000
kg/m3.
a. Find the hold up at the flooding point ,
f D
) (u
b. Assuming that the design value of hold up for the normal operation of the
column to be
D
u =20%, estimate the tower diameter. The characteristic
rise velocity of dispersed phase droplets is 05 . 0 =
o
u m/s.
Leaching
23. Problem # 16.3
24. Problem # 16.4
25. Problem # 16.5
Membranes
26. A new asymmetric polyimide polymer membrane has been developed for the
separation of nitrogen (N
2
) from methane (CH
4
). At 30
o
C, the permeance values
(i.e.
m M
P / ) for nitrogen and methane are 6.03 10
-6
and 1.21 10
-6

kmol/(m2.h.kPa), respectively. This new membrane is used to perform the
separation shown in the figure below. Feed flow rate is 1000 kmol/h and it
contains 20% nitrogen and the rest is methane. Cut is 0.46. Using the arithmetic
average of the partial pressure of the entering feed and the exiting retentate for
calculating the driving force for diffusion through the membrane, determine:
a) Concentration of nitrogen in the permeate (y
p
).
b) Permeate flow rate and the membrane surface area required.












27. We desire to reduce the concentration of CO
2
in a mixture of carbon dioxide (CO
2
)
and methane (CH
4
) using a membrane process. Feed has 95 mol % methane and
5mol% carbon dioxide and the target purity for methane in the retentate is 99
mol%. The gas is perfectly mixed on both sides of the membrane. The feed flow
rate is F
in
= 1000 mol/min and feed temperature and pressure are 35
o
C and p
H
= 20
atm. The permeate pressure is p
L
=1 atm. The cut is u = 0.4 and the permeability of
membrane for CO
2
is P
CO2
= 2 10
-11
mol/(m.s.atm). The thickness of the active
layer of membrane is t
m
= 1 micrometer. Determine:
Feed= 1000 kmol/h
5,500 kPa, 30
o
C
N
2
& CH
4
N
2
mole fraction:
x
f
= 0.20
Retentate
5,450 kPa
30
o
C
N
2
& CH
4
Permeate
100 kPa
30
o
C
N
2 &
CH
4
Feed= 1000 kmol/h
5,500 kPa, 30
o
C
N
2
& CH
4
N
2
mole fraction:
x
f
= 0.20
Retentate
5,450 kPa
30
o
C
N
2
& CH
4
Permeate
100 kPa
30
o
C
N
2 &
CH
4
a. The flow rate of permeate (F
p
) and its composition ( y
p
).
b. The membrane selectivity (o).
c. The surface area of membrane.
) ( : i" " component for flux transfer Mass
: , :
, ,
4
2
L i p H i out
m
i
i
CH
CO
in
p
p y p y
t
P
J
P
P
y Selectivit
F
F
Cut
=
= = o u

28. A tubular membrane with a water permeability of P
water
= 2.5 10
-4
L/m.h.atm is
used for ultrafiltration of cheese whey. The concentration of protein in the feed
solution is 10 g/L and the thickness of the active layer of membrane is 1 micron.
The osmotic pressure for whey protein solution is given by: c
3
10 4 . 4

= t .
where c is the concentration of protein in g/L, and t is in atmospheres. Assume
an ideal membrane (i.e. the rejection coefficient R=1).
a) Ignoring the effects of concentration polarization and gel formation, calculate
the flux of water if the feed and permeate pressures are 1.3 and 1.0 atm,
respectively.
b) Ignoring gel formation (concentration polarization is no longer negligible),
calculate the flux of water if the pressure gradient across membrane is Ap = 0.3
atm and the mass transfer coefficient for protein inside the tubes is: k
c
= 7.8
10
-6
m/s.
c) Now, assume a layer of gel is formed on the membrane surface. The thickness
of this layer is 2 microns and the water permeability in the gel is half of the
water permeability in the membrane. The concentration of protein in the gel is
400 g/L and the mass transfer coefficient inside the tube remains at k
c
= 7.8
10
-6
m/s. Calculate:
1- Flux of permeate through the membrane.
2- Pressure gradient (Ap) across the membrane.
Data: 1000 L = 1 m
3

29. An experimental RO membrane is evaluated by passing pure water through it. At
Ap= 40 atm, the flux of water is measured to be 1000 L/(m
2
.day). In a second
experiment, this membrane is used to remove solute A from an aqueous solution.
Both feed and permeate side of the membrane are assumed to be fully mixed, and the
solute concentration in the feed side of the membrane is 10 wt%. The pressure
gradient across the membrane remains at 40 atm. The rejection coefficient in the
absence of concentration polarization for this membrane is R
o
= 0.90. Assuming the
thickness of the active layer of membrane is 0.8 microns, and the osmotic pressure for
compound A is given by C 60 = t where C is the concentration of A in weight
fractions and t is the osmotic pressure in atmospheres.
1- Calculate the water permeability (P
water
).
2- Estimate the flux of water in the second experiment, if the concentration
polarization is neglected (M=1).
3- In reality, the concentration polarization in the second experiment cannot be
ignored, and measurement shows that the actual flux of water is 800 L/(m
2
.day).
Calculate the modulus of polarization and the apparent rejection coefficient ( R )
in this case.
) ( : solvent for flux transfer Mass
1 & ) 1 ( M
t A A =
= =
p
t
P
J
C
C
R R C C
m
solvent
solvent
b
p
o
b p