Section: 4ChEB

Statement of the Problem

A Swenson Walker Crystallizer is to be used for a feed solution of 4500 kg/hr. at 28˚C Na 2CO3 is cooled to
KJ
17˚C to produce Na2CO3 10H2O crystals. The Cp of the feed can be assumed to be 2.93 .
kg . K
kg .
a.) Calculate L and C in and the ratio of mother liquor to crystalline product.
hr .
KJ
b.) The cooling water is heated from 12 to 19˚C. The Cp of the cooling water is 4.187 . If 15
kg . K
kg
crystallizer units are available, what is the cooling water requirement in ? The area is 2.5 m2
hr
W
per m length and U = 770 .
m2 K
c.) Based on the calculated yield of crystals in (a) if the Na 2CO310H2O crystals are dropped into a
saturated solution of Na2CO3 in water at 100˚C and is left for 1 hour. What percent (%) of the Na 2CO3
in the Na2CO3H2O is recovered in the precipitated solid? The precipitated solid is Na 2CO3H2O. At
100˚C the saturated solution is 58.75% Na 2CO3.

Analysis of the Given Data and Diagram:

Liquor (L)=?
xL=?
Magma
Feed (F) = 4500 kg/hr
xF=? tL=17℃
CpF = 2.93 KJ/kgK
tf=28℃ Crystals (C) = ?kg/hr
Na2CO3 10H2O

w Cpw = 4.187 KJ/kgK w

Other Data Given:

KJ
● Cp of the Feed = 2.93
kg . K
KJ
● Cp of the cooling water = 4.187
kg . K
 ● Available crystallizer units = 15
● Area = 2.5 m2 per meter length
W
● U = 770
m2 K
● Saturated solution of Na2CO3 in water is at 100˚C
● Time = 1 hour
● The precipitated solid is Na2CO3H2O
● At 100˚C the saturated solution is 58.75% Na 2CO3.

Required:

L
a.) L and C in kg/hr. and
C
b.) w in kg/hr
c.) % Na2CO3H2O precipitated

Solution

106
a.) xc= = 0.3706
286
35.34
at 28˚C: xF= =0.2611
100+35.34
18.8
at 17˚C: xL= =0.1582
100+18.8
OMB: 4500 = L + C eqn. 1

Na2CO3 balance: (4500)(0.2611) = L(0.1582) + C(0.3706) eqn. 2

kg
L = 2319.9153
hr .
kg
C = 2180.0848
hr .
L 2319.9153
= = 1.0641
C 2180.0848
1 1 crystallizer unit
2
( A)x
b.) N = 2.5 m 10 ft . ( 0.3048 m )2
ft .
1 1 crystallizer unit
2
( A)x
15 = 2.5 m 10 ft . ( 0.3048 m )2
ft .
A = 34.8386 m2

q = wCp(t2-t1) = UA∆Tlm

( 28−19 ) −(17−12)
∆Tlm = 28−19 = 6.8052˚C
ln ln ( )
17−12
w(4187)(19-12) = (770)(34.8386)(6.8052)(3600)

kg
w = 22,423.005
hr
kg 124 kg Na2 CO 3 H 2O
c.) Wt. Na2CO3H2O = (2180.0848 ¿ ( 1hr . ) x = 945.2116 kg
hr . 286 kg Na2 CO 3 10 H 2 O
kg 106 kg Na 2CO 3
Wt. Na2 CO 3 = (2180.0848 ¿ ( 1hr . ) x = 808.0035 kg
hr . 286 kg Na2 CO 3 10 H 2 O
kg 180 kg H 2O
Wt. H2O = (2180.0848 ¿ ( 1hr . ) x = 1372.0813 kg
hr . 286 kg Na2 CO 3 10 H 2 O
x
% Na2 CO 3 : 58.75 % = x 100
100+ x
x = 142.4242 kg

Wt. Na2 CO 3 precipitated: 808.0035 – 142.4242 = 665.5793 kg

124 kg Na2 CO 3 H 2O
Wt. Na2CO3H2O precipitated: 665.5793 kg Wt. Na 2CO3 x = 778.6022 kg
106 kg Na 2CO 3

778.6022kg
% Na2CO3H2O precipitated = x 100
945.2116 kg
% Na2CO3H2O precipitated = 82.3733 %

Answers:

L
a.) L and C in kg/hr. and
C
kg
L = 2319.9153
hr .
kg
C = 2180.0848
hr .
 L
= 1.0641
C
b.) w in kg/hr
kg
w = 22,423.005
hr
c.) % Na2CO3H2O precipitated
82.3733 %

Reflection

While making and solving the problem, what I noticed is that crystallization process is temperature
dependent since it is used as a basis for getting the solubility and mole fraction of the feed and mother
liquor. The temperature also serves as a reference for determining what kind of crystals will be formed.
Also, the area and the crystallizer units play a big part in getting the required cooling water rate. It can
easily affect how much the cooling water is to be used, but there are times that a given number of
crystallizer units are not enough for the operation if the actual cooling water rate is calculated. For the
precipitation, the higher the amount of precipitated solid and the higher mole percentage of the sought
substance, the higher the percent recovery.