Two columns

Figure 3.8a shows the temperature-composition diagram for a minimum-boiling azeotrope that is sensitive to changes in pressure. This azeotrope can be separated using two columns operating at different pressures, as shown in Fig. 3.86. Feed with mole fraction of A Ufa)) of, say, 0.3 is fed to the high-pressure column. The bottom product from this high-pressure column is relatively pure B, whereas the overhead is an azeotrope with jcda = 0-8, jcdb = 0.2. This azeotrope is fed to the low-pressure column, which produces relatively pure A in the bottom and in the overhead an azeotrope with jcda = 0.6, jcdb = 0.4. This azeotrope is added to the feed of the high-pressure column.

Both the side-rectifier and side-stripper arrangements have been shown to reduce the energy consumption compared with simple two-column arrangements. This results from reduced mixing losses in the first (main) column. As with the first column of the simple sequence, a peak in composition occurs with the middle product. Now, however, advantage of the peak is taken by transferring material to the side-rectifier or side-stripper. 

The crude phthalic anhydride is heated and held at 260 C to allow some byproduct reactions to go to completion. Purification is by continuous distillation in two columns. In the first column, maleic anhydride and benzoic and toluic acids are removed overhead. In the second column, pure phthalic anhydride is removed overhead. High boiling residues are removed from the bottom of the second column. 

If complex distillation columns are being considered, then these also can bring about significant reductions in capital cost. The dividing-wall column shown in Fig. 5.17 not only requires typically 20 to 30 percent less energy than a conventional arrangement but also can be typically 30 percent lower in capital cost than a conventional two-column arrangement. ... 

Since exchanging two columns in a determinant changes its sign, simple algebra... 

Both tables, the atom and the bond lists, are linked through the atom indices. An alternative coimection table in the form of a redundant CT is shown in Figure 2-21. There, the first two columns give the index of an atom and the corresponding element symbol. The bond list is integrated into a tabular form in which the atoms are defined. Thus, the bond list extends the table behind the first two columns of the atom list. An atom can be bonded to several other atoms the atom with index 1 is connected to the atoms 2, 4, 5, and 6. These can also be written on one line. Then, a given row contains a focused atom in the atom list, followed by the indices of all the atoms to which this atom is bonded. Additionally, the bond orders are inserted directly following the atom in-... 

Figure 4-8. Plot of the first two column vectors of the loadings matrlK of PCA,...

Exchange any two columns of the detemiinant in the previous problem and evaluate the new determinant. Exchange any two rows of the determinant in the previous problem and evaluate the new determinant. Does the rule of Exercise 2-17 hold ... 

An HPLC typically includes two columns an analytical column responsible for the separation and a guard column. The guard column is placed before the analytical column, protecting it from contamination. 

In Table 7.7, all the transition wavenumbers have been arranged in rows and columns so that the differences between wavenumbers in adjacent columns correspond to vibrational level separations in the lower (ground) electronic state and the differences between adjacent rows to separations in the upper electronic state. These differences are shown in parentheses. The variations of the differences (e.g. between the first two columns), are a result of uncertainties in the experimental measurements. 

A cmde acetone product is recovered by distillation from the reaction mass. One or two additional distillation columns may be required to obtain the desired purity. If two columns are used, the first tower removes impurities such as acetaldehyde and propionaldehyde. The second tower removes undesired heavies, the major component being water. 

The reactor effluent, containing 1—2% hydrazine, ammonia, sodium chloride, and water, is preheated and sent to the ammonia recovery system, which consists of two columns. In the first column, ammonia goes overhead under pressure and recycles to the anhydrous ammonia storage tank. In the second column, some water and final traces of ammonia are removed overhead. The bottoms from this column, consisting of water, sodium chloride, and hydrazine, are sent to an evaporating crystallizer where sodium chloride (and the slight excess of sodium hydroxide) is removed from the system as a soHd. Vapors from the crystallizer flow to the hydrate column where water is removed overhead. The bottom stream from this column is close to the hydrazine—water azeotrope composition. Standard materials of constmction may be used for handling chlorine, caustic, and sodium hypochlorite. For all surfaces in contact with hydrazine, however, the preferred material of constmction is 304 L stainless steel. 

The cmde phthaUc anhydride is subjected to a thermal pretreatment or heat soak at atmospheric pressure to complete dehydration of traces of phthahc acid and to convert color bodies to higher boiling compounds that can be removed by distillation. The addition of chemicals during the heat soak promotes condensation reactions and shortens the time required for them. Use of potassium hydroxide and sodium nitrate, carbonate, bicarbonate, sulfate, or borate has been patented (30). Purification is by continuous vacuum distillation, as shown by two columns in Figure 1. The most troublesome impurity is phthahde (l(3)-isobenzofuranone), which is stmcturaHy similar to phthahc anhydride. Reactor and recovery conditions must be carefully chosen to minimize phthahde contamination (31). Phthahde [87-41-2] is also reduced by adding potassium hydroxide during the heat soak (30). 

The sulfate ester hydrolysate is stripped to give a mixture of isopropyl alcohol, isopropyl ether, and water overhead, and dilute sulfuric acid bottoms. The overhead is neutralized using sodium hydroxide and refined in a two-column distillation system. Diisopropyl ether is taken overhead in the first, ie, ether, column. This stream is generally recycled to the reactors to produce additional isopropyl alcohol by the following equiUbrium reaction ... 

Fiaal purification of propylene oxide is accompHshed by a series of conventional and extractive distillations. Impurities ia the cmde product iaclude water, methyl formate, acetone, methanol, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, and some heavier hydrocarbons. Conventional distillation ia one or two columns separates some of the lower boiling components overhead, while taking some of the higher boilers out the bottom of the column. The reduced level of impurities are then extractively distilled ia one or more columns to provide a purified propylene oxide product. The solvent used for extractive distillation is distilled ia a conventional column to remove the impurities and then recycled (155,156). A variety of extractive solvents have been demonstrated to be effective ia purifyiag propylene oxide, as shown ia Table 4. 

Higher grade fatty acids with less than 2% rosin are obtained by further distiUation. Union Camp uses two columns to achieve this. The first column is used to separate light ends and the second column to separate a mixture of rosin and higher boiling fatty acids. This mixture with about 40% rosin is sold as DistiUed TaU Oil (DTO). Standard specifications for TOFA grades have been estabHshed by ASTM (25) as shown in Table 3. Also, the Pulp Chemicals Association provides specifications on TOFA having either more or less than 2% rosin. 

In summary, for systems of the ethanol—water—benzene type, the three most attractive sequences for carrying out azeotropic distHlation are the Kubierschky three-column sequence, the Kubierschky two-column sequence, and the Ricard-AHenet three-column sequence. For each of these there is the added possibHity of putting a Hquid—Hquid extraction step after the azeo-column. 

FIG. 13-68 Separation of nitric acid-water system with sulfuric acid in a two-column sequence exploiting extreme boundary curvature. 

Efficiency data for a representative structured packing at two column diameters are shown in Fig. 14-74. The Max-Pak packing has a surface area of 246 m /m (7.5 ft /fE). The same test mixture (cyclo-hexane//i-heptane) and operating pressure was used for both tests. It would appear that column diameter does not have an influence in this range of values (0.43 to 1.2 m). 

FIG. 14-74 HETP values for Max-Pak structured packing,. 35 kPa (5 psia), two column diameters. Cyclohexane/n-heptane system, total reflux. For 0.4.3 m (1.4 ft) column perforated pipe distributor, 400 streams/m2, 3.05 m (10 ft) bed height. For 1.2 m (4.0 ft) column tubed drip pan distributor, 100 streams/m ,. 3.7 m (12 ft) bed height. Smaller column data. University of Texas/Austin Larger column data. Fractionation Research, Inc. To convert (ft/s)(lb/ft ) to (m/s)(kg/m ) , multiply by 1.2199. (Couiiesy Jaeger Troducts, Inc., Housion, Texas.)... 

The column bottom level is sometimes controlled by bottoms draw. Varying reboiler heating medium is another possibility. For some cases, bottoms draw level control works better and for others, heating medium level control. BojnowskF gives a case where heating medium level control was desired for two columns in a plant. One... 

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