Batch distillation constant reflux ratio

Figure 11.37. Batch distillation-constant reflux ratio (Example 11.13)...

Rgure 8-35. Batch distillation constant reflux ratio after McCabe-Thlele diagram. Revised/adapted and used by permission, Schweitzer, PA Handbookaf Separation Techniques for Chemical Engineers, McGraw-Hill Book Co. (1979) also reprinted by special permission, Chem. Eng. Jan. 23 (1961), p. 134., 1961 by McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York. 

Batch with Constant Reflux Ratio, 48 Batch with Variable Reflux Rate Rectification, 50 Example 8-14 Batch Distillation, Constant Reflux Following the Procedure of Block, 51 Example 8-15 Vapor Boil-up Rate for Fixed Trays, 53 Example 8-16 Binary Batch Differential Distillation, 54 Example 8-17 Multicomponent Batch Distillation, 55 Steam Distillation, 57 Example 8-18 Multicomponent Steam Flash, 59 Example 8-18 Continuous Steam Flash Separation Process — Separation of Non-Volatile Component from Organics, 61 Example 8-20 Open Steam Stripping of Heavy Absorber Rich Oil of Light Hydrocarbon Content, 62 Distillation with Heat Balance,... 

FIG. 13-98 Typical variation in distillate and reboiler compositions with amount distilled in binary batch distillation at a constant-reflux ratio. 

For a constant reflux ratio, the value can be almost any ratio however, this ratio affects the number of theoretical plates and, consequently, actual trays installed in the rectification section to achieve the desired separation. Control of batch distillation is examined in Reference 134. 

Operation at constant reflux ratio is better than operation with constant distillate composition for high-yield batch separations. However, operation with constant distillate composition might be necessary if high product purity is required. In fact, it is not necessary to operate in one of these two special cases of constant reflux ratio or constant distillate composition. Given the appropriate control scheme, the reflux ratio can be varied through the batch... 

If the same batch as in Example 11.12 is distilled with a constant reflux ratio of R = 2.1, what will be the heat required and the average composition of the distillate if the distillation is stopped when the composition in the still has fallen to 0.105 mole fraction of ethanol ... 

Hence the reflux ratio, the amount of distillate, and the bottoms composition can be related to the fractional distillation time. This is done in Example 13.4, which studies batch distillations at constant overhead composition and also finds the suitable constant reflux ratio that enables meeting required overhead and residue specifications. Although the variable reflux operation is slightly more difficult to control, this example shows that it is substantially more efficient thermally—the average reflux ratio is much lower—than the other type of operation. 

Robinson (1970) considered an industrial 10-component batch distillation operation. The feed condition is shown in Table 5.3. The distillation column was currently producing the desired product using constant reflux ratio scheme. Table 5.4 summarises the results of the application of minimum time problem using simple model with and without column holdup. 

The maximum conversion, the corresponding amount of product, optimal constant reflux ratio and heat load profiles for different batch times are shown in Figures 9.3-9.6. The maximum conversion profile achieved under total reflux operation (where no product is withdrawn) is also shown in Figure 9.3. The latter approximates the conversion which would be achieved in the absence of distillation. Note that if there is a large column holdup, the conversion under total reflux will not approximate the conversion achieved in the absence of distillation. 

Many industrial users of batch distillation (Chen, 1998 Greaves, 2003) find it difficult to implement the optimum reflux ratio profiles, obtained using rigorous mathematical methods, in their pilot plants. This is due to the fact that most models for batch distillation available in the literature treat the reflux ratio as a continuous variable (either constant or variable) while most pilot plants use an on-off type (switch between total reflux and total distillate operation) reflux ratio controller. In Greaves et al. 2001) a relationship between the continuous reflux ratio used in a model and the discrete reflux ratio used in the pilot plant is developed. This allows easy comparison between the model and the plant on a common basis. 

Batch distillation under constant reflux ratio is analyzed mathematically by considering that the moles lost from the still represent moles of distillate collected in the product receiver. Thus,... 

Figure S.2 Batch distillation of benzene-toluene at constant reflux ratio, Example 5,3, ia-e) McCabe-Thiele diagram for progressively reducing still concentration to 0.13 mole fraction benzene.

FIG. 13-121 Distillate composition for a batch distillation of a four-component mixture at a constant reflux ratio. 

The graphical procedure is applicable to any binary batch distillation process and is not limited to operations at constant reflux ratio or constant distillate composition. 

Batch distillations may he carried out under several different policies. These include constant distillate purity, constant reflux ratio, irtermedirre cuts that are recycled, and equilibration between cuts. Frequently, a good policy is to take over each cut at constant reflux ratio, take over intermediate cuts between each pair of products, and not equilibrate between cuts. This is shown graphically in Fig, 5JS-13. 

The time t required for batch distillation at constant reflux ratio and negligible holdup in the column and condenser can be computed by a total material balance based on constant boil-up rate V to give the following equation (Seader and Henley, 2006) ... 

A batch distillation column with three theoretical stages (the first stage is the still pot) is charged with 100 kmol of a 20 mol% n-hexane in n-octane mixture. At a constant reflux ratio R - 1.0, how many moles of the charge must be distilled if an average product composition of 70 mol% n-hexane is required If the boilup ratio is 10 kmol/h, calculate the distillation time. The equilibrium distribution curve at column pressure is given in Figure 6.27. 

An alternative to the constant-reflux-ratio policy described above is to maintain a constant-molar-vapor rate, but continuously vary the reflux ratio to achieve a constant distillate composition that meets the specified purity. This policy requires a more complex control system, which may be justified only for large batch distillation systems. 

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