Distillation Part 4-2

DISTILLATION –PART 4-2
NUMBER OF PLATES BY LEWIS – SOREL METHOD

A material balance above plate n gives:
Vn = Ln +1 + D ynVn = Ln +1 xn +1 + Dxd (M.V.C Balance)

Ln +1 D
yn = xn +1 + xd
Vn Vn
 Since moles of liquid overflow are constant, Ln may be

replaced by Ln+1 and:
Ln D
yn = xn +1 + xd → Eq. (6 )
Vn Vn
Coulson, M. and Richardson, J.F. (1993). Chemical Engineering: Unit Operations, Vol. 2, 4th Edition. Oxford: Pergamon Press
A material balance for bottom to above plate m (indicated by loop

II) and note that Lm = Lm+1.
Lm = Vm + W ymVm = Lm xm +1 − Wxw (M.V.C Balance)

Lm W
ym = xm +1 − xw → Eq. (7 )
Vm Vm
Example
A mixture of benzene and toluene containing 40 mole%

benzene is to be separated to give a product of 90 mole%
of benzene at the top, and a bottom product with not
more than 10 mole% of benzene. The feed is heated so that
it enters the column at its boiling point, and the vapor
leaving the column is condensed but not cooled, and
provides reflux and product. It is proposed to operate the
unit with a reflux ratio of 3 kmol/kmol product. It is
required to find the number of theoretical plates needed
and the position of entry for the feed. The equilibrium
diagram for operating at 1 bar pressure is shown in Figure
below.
Solution
Feed : 40 mol% benzene (A), xf = 0.40

Product : 90 mol% benzene (A), xd = 0.90
Bottom : 10 mol% benzene (A), xw = 0.10
basis: 100 kmol of feed. A total material balance gives:

F=D+W 100 = D + W W = 100 - D → Eq. (a )
A balance on M.V.C (benzene) gives: F ⋅ xf = D ⋅ xd + W ⋅ x w 100(0.4 ) = D(0.9 ) + W(0.1)
40 = 0.9D + 0.1W → Eq. (b )
Insert Eq. (a ) into Eq. (b )

40 = 0.9D + 0.1(100 - D )
D = 37.5 kmol.
From Eq. (a ), W = 100 - 37.5
W = 62.5 kmol
Using a notation from reflux,
Ln
R= L n = RD L n = 3D L n = 3(37.5 ) L n = 112.5
D
From Material balance at top stage,

Vn = L n + D Vn = 112.5 + 37.5 Vn = 150 kmol
Thus, the top operating line equation (Eq. 6) :

Ln D 112.5 37.5
yn = xn +1 + xd yn = xn +1 + (0.9 )
Vn Vn 150 150
y n = 0.75 xn +1 + 0.225
Since the feed is all liquid at its boiling point,
Lm = Ln + F L m = 112.5 + 100 L m = 212.5 kmol
From material balance at Bottom,

Vm = L m − W Vm = 212.5 − 62.5 Vm = 150 kmol = Vn
From Bottom operating line,

Lm W 212.5 62.5
ym = xm +1 − xw ym = xm +1 − (0.1)
Vm Vm 150 150
y m = 1.417 xm +1 − 0.0417
Since all vapor from column is condensed, the composition of the vapor, yt
from top plate = product, xd and liquid returned, xr
From y n = 0.75 xn +1 + 0.225

Let say, x n +1 = x d = 0.9
y n = 0.75 (0.9 ) + 0.225 y n = 0.9
The composition xt of the liquid on the top plate is found from the
equilibrium curve and since it is in equilibrium with vapor of composition
yt = 0.90, xt = 0.79.
yt −1 = 0.75 xt + 0.225 yt −1 = 0.75(0.79 ) + 0.225

yt −1 = 0.8175
From Eq. diagram at yt −1 = 0.8175, x t −1 = 0.644
yt −2 = 0.75 xt −1 + 0.225 yt −2 = 0.75(0.644 ) + 0.225

yt −2 = 0.708
From Eq. diagram at yt −2 = 0.708, x t − 2 = 0.492
yt −3 = 0.75 xt −2 + 0.225 yt −3 = 0.75(0.492 ) + 0.225

yt −3 = 0.594
From Eq. diagram at yt −3 = 0.594, x t − 3 = 0.382
This last value of composition is sufficiently near to the feed composition

(xf =0.4). Feed to be introduced on plate t-3.
For the lower part of the column, the bottom operating line equation will
be used.
y m = 1.417 xm +1 − 0.0417
yt − 4 = 1.417 xt −3 − 0.0417
yt − 4 = 1.417 (0.382 ) − 0.0417 yt − 4 = 0.50
For bottom
From Eq. diagram, at y t − 4 = 0.50, x t - 4 = 0.298
yt −5 = 1.417 xt − 4 − 0.0417
yt −5 = 1.417 (0.298 ) − 0.0417 yt −5 = 0.379
From Eq. diagram, at y t − 5 = 0.379 x t - 5 = 0.208
yt −6 = 1.417 xt −5 − 0.0417
yt −6 = 1.417 (0.208 ) − 0.0417 yt −6 = 0.252
From Eq. diagram, at y t −6 = 0.252 x t -6 = 0.120
yt −7 = 1.417 xt −6 − 0.0417
yt −7 = 1.417 (0.120 ) − 0.0417 yt −7 = 0.127
Coulson, M. and Richardson, J.F. (1993). Chemical Engineering: From Eq. diagram, at y t −7 = 0.127 x t -7 = 0.048
Unit Operations, Vol. 2, 4th Edition. Oxford: Pergamon Press
This liquid xt-7 is slightly weaker than the minimum required and maybe
withdrawn as the bottom product (the xt-7 value < xw).
Thus, xx-7 will correspond to the reboiler, and there will be seven plates in
the column.
No of theoretical stages = 6 stage + 1 reboiler.
Coulson, M. and Richardson, J.F. (1993). Chemical Engineering: Unit Operations, Vol. 2, 4th Edition. Oxford: Pergamon
Press
REFERENCES
Geankoplis, C.J. (2014). Transport Processes and Unit Operations to

Transport Processes and Separation Process Principles (Includes Unit
Operations), Fourth Edition. Pearson New International Edition.
Coulson, M. and Richardson, J.F. (1993). Chemical Engineering: Unit

Operations, Vol. 2, 4th Edition. Oxford: Pergamon Press

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DISTILLATION –PART 4-2

NUMBER OF PLATES BY LEWIS – SOREL METHOD

A material balance above plate n gives:

Vn = Ln +1 + D ynVn = Ln +1 xn +1 + Dxd (M.V.C Balance)

 Since moles of liquid overflow are constant, Ln may be

A material balance for bottom to above plate m (indicated by loop

Lm = Vm + W ymVm = Lm xm +1 − Wxw (M.V.C Balance)

A mixture of benzene and toluene containing 40 mole%

Feed : 40 mol% benzene (A), xf = 0.40

basis: 100 kmol of feed. A total material balance gives:

Insert Eq. (a ) into Eq. (b )

Using a notation from reflux,

From Material balance at top stage,

Thus, the top operating line equation (Eq. 6) :

Since the feed is all liquid at its boiling point,

Lm = Ln + F L m = 112.5 + 100 L m = 212.5 kmol

From material balance at Bottom,

From Bottom operating line,

From y n = 0.75 xn +1 + 0.225

yt −1 = 0.75 xt + 0.225 yt −1 = 0.75(0.79 ) + 0.225

From Eq. diagram at yt −1 = 0.8175, x t −1 = 0.644

yt −2 = 0.75 xt −1 + 0.225 yt −2 = 0.75(0.644 ) + 0.225

From Eq. diagram at yt −2 = 0.708, x t − 2 = 0.492

yt −3 = 0.75 xt −2 + 0.225 yt −3 = 0.75(0.492 ) + 0.225

From Eq. diagram at yt −3 = 0.594, x t − 3 = 0.382

This last value of composition is sufficiently near to the feed composition

No of theoretical stages = 6 stage + 1 reboiler.

Geankoplis, C.J. (2014). Transport Processes and Unit Operations to

Coulson, M. and Richardson, J.F. (1993). Chemical Engineering: Unit

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