CME208 Unit operations of

Chemical Engineering I

Revision Exercises
Final Exam
• 4 Questions (100 marks)
• Only topics on equilibrium and distillation
Question 1
A feed mixture at 100 kmol/h containing 50 mol % benzene (A), 50
mol % toluene (B) is subjected to flash distillation in a separator at
a pressure of 1 atm. 40 % of the feed is to vaporised in the
separator.
The equilibrium data for benzene-toluene system is given.
The specific heat capacity and latent heat of vaporisation for
benzene are 33 cal/mol.K and 7360 cal/mol, respectively.
The specific heat capacity and latent heat of vaporisation for
toluene are 40 cal/mol.K and 7960 cal/mol, respectively.

(a) Determine the liquid and vapour outlet flowrate.

(b) Determine the compositions of the vapour and liquid leaving
the flash separator.
(c) Estimate the operating temperature of the separator.
(d) Determine the feed temperature.
Question 1

Vapour Pressure

Temperature Benzene Toluene Mole Fraction Benzene at 101.32 kPa

°C kPa kPa xA yA

80.1 101.32 1.000 1.000

85 116.9 46.0 0.780 0.900

90 135.5 54.0 0.581 0.777

95 155.7 63.3 0.411 0.632

100 179.2 74.3 0.258 0.456

105 204.2 86.0 0.130 0.261

110.6 240.0 101.32 0 0

Question 1
1.0

0.9

0.8
Mole fraction of benzene in vapour

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
Mole fraction of benzene in liquid
Question 1
115.0

110.0

105.0

100.0

95.0
T

90.0

85.0

80.0

75.0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
x, y
Question 2
A continuous distillation column consists of sieve trays with a partial
reboiler and a total condenser. It is to be operated at atmospheric
pressure to separate benzene from toluene. A feed stream of 500 kmol/h
having an overall composition of 40 mol % benzene is to be fractionated
to give a distillate containing 90 mol % benzene and a bottom containing
90 mol % toluene. The feed enters the column at saturated vapour.
The specific heat capacity for the mixture can be assumed to be 159
kJ/kg.mol.K and the latent heat of vaporisation for the mixture is 32326
kJ/kg.mol.
The equilibrium data for benzene-toluene system is given.
(a) Determine the distillate and bottom product flowrate.
(b) Find the minimum reflux ratio, Rm.
(c) Find the theoretical number of trays required and the optimum feed
tray if the reflux ratio used is 1.5 Rm.
Question 2

Vapour Pressure

Temperature Benzene Toluene Mole Fraction Benzene at 101.32 kPa

°C kPa kPa xA yA

80.1 101.32 1.000 1.000

85 116.9 46.0 0.780 0.900

90 135.5 54.0 0.581 0.777

95 155.7 63.3 0.411 0.632

100 179.2 74.3 0.258 0.456

105 204.2 86.0 0.130 0.261

110.6 240.0 101.32 0 0

Question 2
1.0

0.9

0.8
Mole fraction of benzene in vapour

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
Mole fraction of benzene in liquid
Question 2
1.0

0.9

0.8
Mole fraction of benzene in vapour

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
Mole fraction of benzene in liquid
Question 3
A distillation column consists of 3 ideal plates. A saturated
vapour feed containing 0.4 mol % ammonia and 99.6 mol %
water is supplied continuously into the column between
second and third plate from the top of the column. Per mole
of feed, 1.35 mole of condensate is returned to the top plate
as reflux, and the remainder of the distillate is removed as
overhead product. The liquid from the bottom plate overflows
to a reboiler, which is heated by closed steam coils. The
vapour generated in the reboiler enters the column below the
bottom plate, and the bottom product is continuously
removed from the reboiler. The vaporisation in the reboiler is
0.7 mole per mole of feed. Over the concentration range
involved in the problem, the equilibrium relation is given by
the equation
𝑦 = 12.6𝑥
Question 3
(a) Determine the reflux ratio, R.
(b) Evaluate the mathematical equation for rectification
operating line (ROL).
(c) Evaluate the mathematical equation for stripping
operating line (SOL).
(d) If the overhead product contains 1.1 mol % of ammonia.
Calculate the mole fraction of ammonia in the bottom
product from the reboiler.