SIDESTREAMS AND MULTIPLE

FEEDs USING McCabe THIELE

GRAPHICAL METHOD.

How many theoretical stages are needed for the

distillation separation shown below? Where is the
feed and the take-off stages? Use the McCabeThiele graphical method. At 1 atm (14.696 psia),
methanol boils at 64.7oC and ethanol boils at 78.4oC.
The vapour pressure of ethanol at 64.7oC = 8.2 psia.
The vapour pressure of methanol at 78.4oC = 25
psia. Consider the mixture to be ideal. For the two
components assume that the relative volatility is
1.745. Assume that the pinch occurs at the feed
stage.

GRAPHICAL MULTISTAGE CALCULATIONS BY THE

PONCHON-SAVARIT METHOD
Brief overview of the Method
The McCabe-Thiele method assumes that molar liquid and vapour
flows are constant in each section of the column. This assumption
eliminates the need to make an energy balance for each stage. A
graphical method that includes energy balances as well as material
balances is the Ponchon-Savarit method.
The Ponchon-Savarit method uses Enthalpy-concentration diagrams
such as the one shown below. This diagram includes curves for the
enthalpies of saturated liquid and vapour mixtures. Terminal points of
tie lines connecting these two curves represent the equilibrium
vapour and liquid compositions.
For the purpose of this section we are always going to assume that
Murphrees plate efficiency is 100% which implies that liquid and
vapour streams leaving each plate are in perfect equilibrium with
each other in terms of their compositions.

Consider a single stage, n-1, where vapour from stage n-2 below is mixed
adiabatically with liquid from stage n above to give an overall mixture,
denoted by the mole fraction z, and then brought to equilibrium

Figure 10.4

Feed Stage Location

In the diagram above, P is the difference point for
stages above the feed stage and P for stages below the
feed stage, it follows that the transition from one
difference point to the other occurs at the feed stage.
Therefore the tie line that crosses the line PP will be
ideal feed stage.
Hence the feed stage is stage 5.

Limiting Reflux Ratios

Total Reflux
At total reflux, the minimum number of stages is required and F=0, B = 0, D
= 0, therefore the points (hD qD, xD) and (hB qB, xB) lie at infinity.
The operating lines for each section of the column thus become straight
vertical lines and the minimum number of stages in calculated as shown in
the diagram below.

Minimum Reflux Ratio

The first step in determining the minimum reflux ratio is to use the
feed condition. In the diagram below the difference point P and P
are located by extending the equilibrium tie line through zF to its
intersections with the two difference point.
However in the Figure below, the extension of the feed point tie line
places the difference points at P1 and P1.
The pinch point however manifests itself at tie line T. This suggests
that the minimum reflux ratio in the enriching section is set by the
highest intersection made by the steepest tie line in the section with
the line x = xD.
Use of difference point P in stepping off stages gives an infinite
number of stages with the pinch point occurring at xT
x = xB. If there is a tie line in the stripping section that gives a lower
P, this must be used; otherwise, a pinch region will develop in the
stripping section.

The Partial Condenser

The Figure below shows the construction of operating line corresponding to
an enriching section with a partial condenser. Here Vn and LR are on the
same operating line, and LR is in equilibrium with D.