Enthalpy-composition diagrams isotherms

For binary flash distillation, the simultaneous procedure can be conveniently carried out on an enthalpy-composition diagram First calculate the feed enthalpy, hp, from Eq. t2-81 or Eq. (2=9b) then plot the feed point as shown on Figure 2-9 (see Problem 2-All. In the flash drum the feed separates into liquid and vapor in equilibrium Thus the isotherm through the feed point, which must be the T nun isotherm, gives the correct values for x and y. The flow rates, L and V, can be determined from the mass balances, Eqs. f2-51 and 2-61. or from a graphical mass balance. 

The specified variables are the final temperature and pressure, T2 and P2- The dependent variables are the vapor fraction, t /, the liquid and vapor compositions, X, and the total enthalpy of the two phases, /Z2 + H, and the heat duty, Q. The term isothermal should not be interpreted to imply that the transition from initial conditions to final conditions is at constant temperature is, in general, different from T. It simply means that within the flash drum the temperature, as well as the pressure, is fixed. The heat duty required to bring about the final conditions is equal to the enthalpy change, Q = (Hj + 2) - i> where is the enthalpy at and P,. Isothermal flash conditions may be represented by a point ( 2, P2) on tbs phase envelope diagram. It is clearly possible that this point may fall either within the phase envelope or outside it, in which case the system would be all vapor or all liquid (or dense phase). A flash drum operating at such conditions would have a single product and no phase separation would take place. In a single-phase situation, the dependent variables are the properties of the vapor or liquid product. The liquid or vapor composition is, of course, identical to the feed or overall composition, Z,. Note that any set of temperature and pressure specifications is feasible. 

To have a simple example, we consider an alkane(l) + aromatic(2) mixture, modeled by the Redlich-Kwong equation (8.2.1). Certain vapor-liquid phase diagrams for this mixture were displayed and discussed in 9.3. Here our objective is to compute residual enthalpies for vapor and liquid that coexist in equilibrium in particular, we want to construct an isothermal plot of vs. x and y. (We will call this an hxy diagram, even though it is that is actually plotted.) To do so, we set the temperature, pick a liquid composition Xp and then perform a bubble-P calculation to obtain values... 

The simplest approach to the problem is to assume that tower operation is isothermal at a temperature that is estimated on the basis of the temperatures of the feed streams however, this approach is valid for relatively few systems (such as those involving the physical solution of low-solubility solutes), A somewhat more accurate approach is to assume that all the heat of reaction appears as an increase in temperature of the liquid stream. This adiabatic procedure requires relating the temperature increase of the liquid to the increase in concentration of solute in the liquid by a simple enthalpy balance and then adjusting the equilibrium line on an x-y diagram so that it corresponds to the estimated temperature at several selected Increments of liquid composition. 

Figure 3.29 presents the relation between the binary melt phase diagrams and an isothermal slice of the ternary solubility phase diagrams (introduced in Section 3.1.4). Since the two enantiomers of a chiral system have same melting points and melting enthalpies, their melt phase diagrams are symmetrical to the 1 1 (i.e., racemic) composition. The same applies to the solubility diagrams of the enantiomers as shown in Figure 3.29. Therefore, in general only one haF of the phase diagram has to be measured.

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