Tray columns binary distillation

Note that these values for theoretical trays do contain corrections in overall efficiency, and hence are not the actual trays for the binary distillation column. Efficiencies generally run 50-60% for systems of this type which will yield a column of actual trays almost twice the theoretical at the operating reflux. 

Example 1.5. For a binary distillation column (see Fig. 1.6), load disturbance variables might include feed flow rate and feed composition. Reflux, steam, cooling water, distillate, and bottoms flow rates might be the manipulated variables. Controlled variables might be distillate product composition, bottoms product composition, column pressure, base liquid level, and reflux drum liquid level. The uncontrolled variables would include the compositions and temperatures on aU the trays. Note that one physical stream may be considered to contain many variables ... 

The digital simulation of a distillation column is fairly straightforward. The main complication is the large number of ODEs and algebraic equations that must be solved. We will illustrate the procedure first with the simplified binary distillation column for which we developed the equations in Chap. 3 (Sec. 3.11). Equimolal overflow, constant relative volatility, and theoretical plates have been assumed. There are two ODEs per tray (a total continuity equation and a light component continuity equation) and two algebraic equations per tray (a vapor-liquid phase equilibrium relationship and a liquid-hydraulic relationship). 

Example The location of the best temperature-control tray in a distillation column is a popular subject in the process-control literature. Ideally, the best location for controlling distillate composition xa with reflux flow by using a tray temperature would be at the top of the column for a binary system. See Fig. 8.9o. This is desirable dynamically because it keeps the measurement lags as small as possible. It is also desirable from a steadystate standpoint because it keeps the distillate composition constant at steadystate in a constant pressure, binary system. Holding a temperature on a tray farther down in the column does not guarantee that x will be constant, particularly when feed composition changes occur. 

This illustrative example is taken from the recent work on interaction of design and control by Luyben and Floudas (1994a) and considers the design of a binary distillation column which separates a saturated liquid feed mixture into distillate and bottoms products of specified purity. The objectives are the determination of the number of trays, reflux ratio, flow rates, and compositions in the distillation column that minimize the total annual cost. Figure (1.1) shows a superstructure for the binary distillation column. 

Figure 4.11 Modeling details of the binary distillation column (a) feed section (b) top section and overhead accumulator (c) bottom section and reboiler (d) general / th tray.

In an ideal binary distillation column the dynamics of each tray can be described by first-order systems. Are these capacities interacting or not What general types of responses would you expect for the overhead and bottoms compositions to a step change in the feed composition ... 

Develop the state model for a multicomponent (C components) nonideal distillation column with N trays. Use the general nomenclature developed in Example 4.13 for the ideal binary distillation. 

A binary distillation operation separates 78.1 mol/s of a mixture of 46 mol% benzene and 54 mol% toluene. The purpose of the sieve-tray column (equivalent to 20 theoretical stages and a partial reboiler) is to separate the feed into a liquid distillate of 99 mol% benzene and a liquid bottoms product of 98 mol% toluene. The pres-... 

An important example of a physical process that shows inverse response is the base of a distillation column with the reaction of bottoms composition and base level to a change in vapor boilup. In a binary distillation column, we know that an increase in vapor boilup V must drive more low-boiling material up the column and therefore decrease the mole If action of light component in the bottoms xg. However, the tray hydraulics can produce some unexpected results. When the vapor rate through a tray is increased, it tends to (1) back up more liquid in the downcomer to overcome the increase in pressure drop through the tray and (2) reduce the density of the liquid and vapor Ifoth on the active part of the tray. The first effect momentarily reduces the liquid flow rates through the column while the liquid holdup in the downcomer is... 

The main emphasis will be upon stagewise, continuous feed distillation, schematically shown in figure 6.1. The column may contain trays or packing (as described later) to promote good vapour-liquid contact. The quantitative analysis is confined to two-component (binary) systems in trayed columns. 

A laboratory binary distillation column, consisting of five trays, a total condenser and a reboiler, has been studied by Hu and Ramirez (1972). They have shown that a linearized version of the model describes the process dynamics reasonably well. The linear model is... 

Here we are interested in modeling a typical tray in a binary distillation column, as shown in Figure 5.14. The major assumption we usually make for binary distillation is that of equal-molar overflow, namely that the molar vapor flow rate entering the tray is equal to the molar vapor flow rate leaving the tray, Vn+i = K-... 

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