Design Of Distillation

Column
By
MUHAMMAD TARIQ
2005-Chem-89

1
 Synopsis
• What is distillation?
• Selection b/w Plate and Packed
column
• Selection of tray type
• Design Calculations
• Plate Hydraulic Design
• Specification Sheet 2
What is Distillation?

“Process in which a liquid mixture

of two or more substances is
separated into its component
fractions of desired purity on the
basis of difference in relative
volatility , by the application and
removal of heat”

3
 Column Internals
Comparison b/w Tray & Packed
Columns

4
Choice b/w Tray & Packed
Column
The choice between these two for
a given mass transfer operation is
based on a detail cost analysis.

However,
The decision can be made on the
basis of a qualitative analysis of
relative advantages and
disadvantages.

5
Tray & Packed Column
Contd.
• Non-foaming systems.
• Liquid rates without flooding.
• Periodic cleaning is easy in tray
columns
• Inter stage cooling
• Design information
• Height of the Column

6
 Selection Of Tray
Column
I have selected the tray column for
this particular system as;

• As our system is non foaming.

• Height of the column is large.
• Temperature is high, i.e.
172.3oC
• Diameter is greater than 0.67m
7
Overview of Tray
Column

8
 Plate Contactors
• Cross-flow contactors are the most
common type of plate contactors.
• In a cross-flow plate the liquid flows
across the plate and the vapour up
through the plate.
• The liquid move from plate to plate via
down comer.
• A certain level of liquid is maintained
on the plates by weir.
9
Cross Flow Plate
Contactors

10
 Plate Contactors
Contd.
Three principal types of cross flow
trays are used classified according to
the method used to contact the
vapour and liquid.

• Sieve Plates (Perforated Plate)

• Bubble Cap Plates
• Valve plates (floating cap
plates)
11
 Plate Contactors
Contd.

Bubble Cap Valve

Sieve Plate
plate Plate
12
Selection Of Sieve
Plate
I’ve selected the Sieve Plates
because;
• Pressure drop is lowest.
• Their fundamentals are well
established.
• Sieve plates are the cheapest.
• They are lighter in weight.
• Maintenance cost is reduced
due to the ease of cleaning 13
Overview of Sieve Tray

14
 Factors affecting
Distillation Column
Operation
Adverse Vapor Flow conditions
can cause;

• Weeping
• Coning
• Excessive Entertainment
• Flooding
15
Column Pressure And Type Of
Condenser

16
Distillation Column in
PFD

17
Simulation on HYSYS

18
 T=137o
C
P=110
KPa 3.642×106
KJ/hr

Top
Product
D=490
(Kg /hr)
Feed T=117oC
F= 2990 P=101K
(kg/hr) Pa
3.864×106
T=161oC KJ/hr
P=130KP
a
Bottom
Product
2500 (Kg
/hr)
T=220oC
P=160KPa

19
 Material Balance

Heavy Key Component= Maleic Anhydride

(MAN) 20
Design Calculations Of
Distillation Column

21
Data Required For
Design

22
 Designing Steps of
Distillation Column
Calculation of
• Minimum Reflux Ratio (R min).
• Actual Reflux Ratio (R).
• Minimum number of stages(N min).
• Theoretical number of stages.
• Actual number of stages.
• Diameter of the column.
• Weeping , entrainment, etc
• Total Pressure drop.
• Height of the column 23
 Minimum Reflux Ratio
Using Underwood equation;

As feed is entering as Saturated

Liquid, q = 1

 = 24.8
Now,

Rmin = 4.7724
 Actual Reflux Ratio

There is no hard and fast rules for

the selection of optimum reflux
ratio, but for many systems the
optimum will lie between 1.2 to 1.5
times the minimum reflux ratio;

R = 1.25(R min)

R =6
25
Minimum Number of Stages

The minimum No. of Stages Nmin

can be find from Fenske
Equation which is,

N = 20 26
 Theoretical Number of
Stages
Using Gilliland-Eduljee relation;

N = 39
Considering one stage achieved in
Reboiler & Condenser

N = 38
27
 Location of Feed Plate
Using Kirkbride relation;

&

Hence,
ND = 19 NB = 19
28
 Overall Tray Efficiency
A quick estimate of the overall
column efficiency can be
obtained from the correlation
given by O, Connell which is
shown below,

E o = 70.92%
29
Actual Number of Stages
As overall column efficiency is 70.92%
So,
N act= 38/0.709
N act= 54
Now,
Actual ND = 27

Actual NB = 27
30
 Determination of
Flooding Velocity
Flow Parameter based on Rectifying
Section;

FLV = 0.032
Assume ,Plate Spacing = 0.5m
From Graph we get
K1 = 0.07
Now Flooding velocity;

31
32
 Actual Operating
Velocity
Correction factor for surface tension,
σ = 56.43 dyne/cm
So, unf= 3.18 m/sec

Assume ,
Actual operating velocity is the 85% of
the flooding velocity,
un= 2.71m/sec
33
Cross Sectional Area Of The
Column

An = 0.29m2

Taking Down-comer Area as 12% of

total cross sectional area,
Total Column cross sectional Area = Net
Area/0.88
34
Diameter Of The Column

Column Diameter

D = 0.64m (based on Rectifying

section)
In the similarly way,
D = 0.69m (based on Stripping
section)
As, Two Diameters are nearly same.
So, the Diameters will be same for
both the Sections. 35
Plate Hydraulic Design

36
 Tray Design
Down-Comer Area = 0.12(Ac)

AD = .041m2
Active Area = Ac – 2AD

Aa = 0.26m2

Hole Area = 0.1(Aa) = .026m2

Take weir height = 50mm

37
 Weir Length
As we have,

From Graph we get

So,
Lw = 0.5m 38
 Weir Liquid Crest
Using relation,

how = 23.69 mm

For minimum Crest use 70% of maximum

flow

how(min) = 18.68 mm
39
Hence,
40
 Weeping Check
Using relation;

From Graph K2 = 30.56

U min = 6.43 m/sec

Actual minimum Vapor velocity through holes;

V act(min) = 17.85 m/sec 41

Weeping Phenomena

42
 Support Area
Lw/Dc = 0.76
From graph;
θ = 99o

r = 0.33m

Arc length = r×(п-θ)

= .46 m
As = 2×Arc. × .05
= 0.04 m2
43
44
 Calming Zone Area

From Fig.

a = .25 m

Az = 4a × 0.05
= 0.054m2
45
 Perforated Area

Ap= Column Area – 2(Down-comer

area) – Support area – Calming
zone Area

= 0.16 m2

46
 Number Of Holes
Single hole Area

= 1.96× 10-5 m2
No. of holes = Total hole area / single hole area =
1330 holes

Hole Pitch;

From the graph,

So,

Lp = 11.5 mm 47
Graph To Find The Hole
Pitch

48
Pressure Drop Calculation
The pressure drop over the plates is an
important design consideration, the
total plate pressure drop is given
below,

Total head loss per plate = hd + hr +

hw + how

h d = Dry plate drop

hr = Residual head 49
Dry Plate Pressure Drop
We know that,

We have:

and Plate thickness / hole diameter = 1

From graph we get:

Co = 0.91
Hence,
h d = 30 mm-liquid 50
51
 Residual Head

This is the head loss due to bubble

formation and other losses.

This is given by

hr = 11.41 mm-liq.

52
 Total Pressure Drop
Total head loss per plate = h d + hr + hw
+ how

ht = 109.76 mm-liq.

Pressure drop per plate =

ΔPt = 925 Pa
Total Pressure drop in the column;

ΔP = No. of plates × ΔPt

53
 Down Comer Backup
Assuming that down comer is 6 mm
below the weir level;
Then height of aperture thus formed is
;

hap= hw- 6
=44mm
Area under apron;
A ap =h ap× L w
= 0.02m2 54
Down Comer Backup

h dc =2.7mm

= 50+18.68+109+2.7
= 180.34mm

55
 Residence Time

Liquid residence time in down comer is

given as

t r = 4.3 sec

56
 Height of the Column
Height of the distillation column can be
find by the given below formula,

Where ΔH is the additional height

required for the column operation.
H c = 30 m

57
Specification Sheet

58