Analytical Solution in Determining the Number of Theoretical Stages

In the Distillation of Ideal Binary Mixtures

Specifications:
1. Relative Volatility
2. Feed Conditions
Mole Fraction of the more volatile component
Feed Quality

( xF)

(q)

3. Product Conditions
Bottoms Mole Fraction of the more volatile component

(x W )

Distillate Mole Fraction of the more volatile component

(x D )

Steps:
1. Get the pinch point by determining the intersection of the Feed line and the
equilibrium curve:
Equilibrium Curve:

y=

x
(1)
1+ ( 1 ) x

Feed Line:

y=

x
q
x F (2)
q1
q1

Combining (1) and (2) to solve for the abscissa of the pinch point gives the
quadratic equation:

q ( 1 ) x2p + [ qx F ( 1 ) ( q1 ) ] x px F=0 (3)

Substituting the positive value for
pinch point:

y p=

x p to (1) to solve for ordinate of the

xp
( 4)
1+ ( 1 ) x p

2. Solve for the Minimum Reflux Ratio

'

Rm
x y
= D
(5)
R m+ 1 x Dx '
This expression is also the slope of the enriching operating line at minimum
reflux.

3. Select a reflux ratio. Usually, it is 1.5 times the minimum reflux.

R=1.5 Rm (6)
4. Determine the intersection of the feed Line and the enriching operating line
by equating (2) and (7):

y=

x
R
x + D (7)
R+1
R+ 1

The resulting expression for

x i=

x D ( q1 )+ x F (R+1)
(8)
R+q

y i=

x
R
x i+ D (9)
R+1
R+1

and

are:

5. Start the iteration in determining the number of stages at

( x D , y D)

Stage 1: (45DL EC EOL)

( x D , y D )45 DL ( x , y ) EC1 ( x , y )EOL1

Stage 2: (EOL EC EOL)

( x , y )OL1 ( x , y ) EC 2 ( x , y )EOL2
Use equations (1) and (7), the y in the previous point in the operating line is
equal to that of the equilibrium curve. The x value of that corresponding y
can be determined by equation (1) and will be the same x in the next
operating line. The y value in the next operating line is determined using
equation (7)

When

x< xi

or the resulting x value from the equilibrium curve to the

operating line becomes less than the value of the intersection of the feed and
enriching operating line, (7) is replaced by (8):

y=

y ix B
( xx B ) + x B
x ix B

Stage k: (EOL EC SOL)

( x , y ) EO L(k1) ( x , y ) ECk ( x , y ) SOL1

Iteration stops when

mole fraction.

x< x B , or the resulting x value is less than the bottoms

Stage N-1:

( x , y )S OL(N 2) ( x , y ) EC(N 1) ( x , y )SOL(N 1)

Stage N:

( x , y )SOL(N 1 ) ( x , y )EC (N ) ( x , y )SOL (N )

6. Solve for the theoretical number of stages:

n=N 1+

x N1x B
x N x N1