Underwood equations

The multicomponent form of the Underwood equation can be used to calculate the vapor flow at minimum reflux in each column of the sequence. The minimum vapor rate in a single column is obtained by alternate use of two equations ... 

Rmin is calculated from the binary form of the Underwood equation applied to the key components ... 

Equation (5.8) tends to predict vapor loads slightly higher than those predicted by the full multicomponent form of the Underwood equation. The important thing, however, is not the absolute value but the relative values of the alternative sequences. Porter and Momoh have demonstrated that the rank order of total vapor load follows the rank order of total cost. 

However, the total number of equilibrium stages N, N/N,n, or the external-reflux ratio can be substituted for one of these three specifications. It should be noted that the feed location is automatically specified as the optimum one this is assumed in the Underwood equations. The assumption of saturated reflux is also inherent in the Fenske and Underwood equations. An important limitation on the Underwood equations is the assumption of constant molar overflow. As discussed by Henley and Seader (op. cit.), this assumption can lead to a prediction of the minimum reflux that is considerably lower than the actual value. No such assumption is inherent in the Fenske equation. An exact calculational technique for minimum reflux is given by Tavana and Hansen [Jnd. E/ig. Chem. Process Des. Dev., 18, 154 (1979)]. A computer program for the FUG method is given by Chang [Hydrocarbon Process., 60(8), 79 (1980)]. The method is best applied to mixtures that form ideal or nearly ideal solutions. 

To aid in solving the tedious Underwood equation to ultimately arrive at (L/D)niin, Frank [100] has developed Figure 8-47, which applies for liquid feed at its bubble point and whether the system is binary or multicomponent, but does require that the key components are adjacent. Otherwise, the system must be solved for two values of 0 [74]. To obtain the necessary parameters for Figure 8-47, Frank recommends using the same overhead con-... 

Example 8-23 Minimum Reflux Ratio Using Underwood Equation Calculate the Minimiun Reflux Ratio... 

Underwood Algebraic Method, 71 Example 8-23 Minimum Reflux Ratio Using Underwood Equation, 73 Minimum Reflux Colburn Method, 74 Example 8-24 Using the Colburn Equation to Calculate Minimum Reflux Ratio,... 

Colburn (1941) and Underwood (1948) have derived equations for estimating the minimum reflux ratio for multicomponent distillations. These equations are discussed in Volume 2, Chapter 11. As the Underwood equation is more widely used it is presented in this section. The equation can be stated in the form ... 

Minimum reflux ratio Underwood equations 11.60 and 11.61. This calculation is best tabulated. 

For binary or near binary minimum reflux ratio, L/D min, use the Underwood equations.10... 

The Underwood Equations can be used to predict the minimum reflux for multicomponent distillation9. The derivation of the equations is lengthy, and the reader is... 

To solve Equation 9.51, it is necessary to know the values of not only a ,-j and 9 but also x, d. The values of xitD for each component in the distillate in Equation 9.51 are the values at the minimum reflux and are unknown. Rigorous solution of the Underwood Equations, without assumptions of component distribution, thus requires Equation 9.50 to be solved for (NC — 1) values of 9 lying between the values of atj of the different components. Equation 9.51 is then written (NC -1) times to give a set of equations in which the unknowns are Rmin and (NC -2) values of xi D for the nonkey components. These equations can then be solved simultaneously. In this way, in addition to the calculation of Rmi , the Underwood Equations can also be used to estimate the distribution of nonkey components at minimum reflux conditions from a specification of the key component separation. This is analogous to the use of the Fenske Equation to determine the distribution at total reflux. Although there is often not too much difference between the estimates at total and minimum reflux, the true distribution is more likely to be between the two estimates. 

Another approximation that can be made to simplify the solution of the Underwood Equations is to use the Fenske Equation to approximate xitD. These values of XitD will thus correspond with total reflux rather than minimum reflux. 

The Underwood Equation is based on the assumption that the relative volatilities and molar overflow are constant between the pinches. Given that the relative volatilities change throughout the column, which are the most appropriate values to use in the Underwood Equations The relative volatilities could be averaged according to Equations 9.47 or 9.49. However, it is generally better to use the ones based on the feed conditions rather than the average values based on the distillate and bottoms compositions. This is because the location of the pinches is often close to the feed. 

The Underwood Equations tend to underestimate the true value of the minimum reflux ratio. The most important reason for this is the assumption of constant molar overflow. As mentioned previously, the Underwood Equations assumed constant molar overflow between the pinches. So far, in order to determine the reflux ratio of the column, this assumption has been extended to the whole column. However, some compensation can be made for the variation in molar overflow by carrying out an energy balance around the top pinch for the column, as shown in Figure 9.16. Thus... 

Solution Calculate the liquid composition at the rectifying pinch using Equation 9.57. But first, the root of the second Underwood Equation associated with the heavy key component must be calculated. From Table 9.1, this lies in the range ... 

Having obtained the minimum number of stages from the Fenske Equation and minimum reflux ratio from the Underwood Equations, the empirical relationship of Gilliland10 can be used to determine the number of stages. The original correlation was presented in graphical form10. Two parameters (X and Y) were used to correlate the data ... 

For the same feed, operating pressure and relative volatility as Exercise 10, the heavy key component is changed to pentane. Now 95% of the propane is recovered in the overheads and 90% of the pentane in the bottoms. Assuming that all lighter than light key components go to the overheads and all the heavier than heavy key go to the bottoms, estimate the distribution of the butane and the minimum reflux ratio using the Underwood Equations. 

In Chapter 9, it was shown how the Underwood Equations can be used to calculate the minimum reflux ratio. A simple mass balance around the top of the column for constant molar overflow, as shown in Figure 11.3, at minimum reflux gives ... 

Example 11.2 Using the Underwood Equations, determine the best distillation sequence, in terms of overall vapor load, to separate the mixture of alkanes in Table 11.2 into relatively pure products. The recoveries are to be assumed to be 100%. Assume the ratio of actual to minimum reflux ratio to be 1.1 and all columns are fed with a saturated liquid. Neglect pressure drop across each column. Relative volatilities can be calculated from the Peng-Robinson Equation of State with interaction parameters assumed to be zero (see Chapter 4). Determine the rank order of the distillation sequences on the basis of total vapor load for ... 

The errors associated with the Underwood Equations were discussed in Chapter 9, which tend to underpredict the minimum reflux ratio. This introduces uncertainty in the way that the calculations were carried out in Examples 11.2 and 11.3. The differences in the total vapor load between different sequences are small and these differences are smaller than the errors associated with the prediction of minimum reflux ratio and minimum vapor load using the Underwood Equations. However, as long as the errors are consistently low for all of the distillation calculations, the vapor load from the Underwood Equations can still be used to screen between options. Nevertheless, the predictions should be used with caution and options not ruled out because of some small difference in the total vapor load. 

Minimum Trays. This is found with the Fenske-Underwood equation,... 

The Fenske-Underwood equation is first used to calculate the minimum number of theoretical stages [14]. Hdist program code lines 210 and 215 show this equation ... 

A unique method and result of applying this Fenske-Underwood equation is that, when plotted on log-log graph paper, the components other than key component separations can be determined. Consider Fig. 2.3 notice the straight line drawn through the key component points. The unique thing here is that all other component values are also determined from this straight-line plot. 

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