1. Design of Butane-Pentane Flash Distillation Unit.

A flash drum is to separate 1,300 kg/min of

a mixture of 48 weight% n-butane and the balance n-pentane at 600 kPa. The feed enters as a
saturated liquid mixture at 660 kPa. Draw a schematic of the flash drum showing all the
problem data and determine the temperature at which it separates using a reasonable
vaporization fraction. Determine the flows and compositions of the vapor and liquid product
streams, and the recovery of n-butane in the vapor and of n-pentane in the liquid.
2. Flash distillation of n-butane-n-octane mixture. A saturated liquid mixture at 180 kPa
containing 30 weight% n-butane, and the balance n-octane is partially vaporized in a heat
exchanger and fed to a flash drum running at 120 kPa. The feed rate is 38,000 kg/hr. Draw a
schematic of the flash drum showing all the problem data and determine the flash
temperature, the liquid and vapor product rates and compositions, the recovery of n-butane
in the vapor and of n-octane in the liquid.
3. Flash Separation of a Butane-Octane Vapor Mixture. Design the separator of Problem 2 with
the feed entering as a saturated vapor. The exchanger partially condenses the vapor and the
design variable is the fraction of the feed that is condensed, that is, L/F.
4. Design of a Benzene-Toluene Flash Separator. A flash drum is to separate 35,700 barrels/day
of a saturated liquid mixture containing 51 weight% benzene and the balance toluene at 1.9
atm pressure. The specific gravity of the mixture is 0.87, and the flash drum operates at 1.2
atm. One barrel = 0.159 m3 (42 gallons). Draw a schematic of the flash drum showing the
problem data on the schematic and, using a reasonable vaporization rate, determine the flash
temperature, the flows and compositions of the vapor and liquid outlet streams, and the
recoveries of benzene and toluene.
5. A saturated liquid mixture at 400 kPa containing 57 weight% n-butane and the balance n-
hexane is partially vaporized in a heat exchanger and fed to a flash drum running at 330 kPa.
The feed flow is 5,200 kg/min. Draw a schematic of the flash drum showing all the problem
data and, using a reasonable vaporization rate, determine the flash temperature, the
compositions and flows of the vapor and liquid products, and the recoveries of the two
components. State all assumptions.
6. Design of a benzene-ethylbenzene flash drum. A flash drum is to separate 3,700 kg/min of a
mixture of 52.5 weight% benzene and the balance ethylbenzene entering at 2.6 atm pressure.
The drum operates at 2.0 atm. Draw a schematic of the flash drum showing all the problem
data and, using a reasonable vaporization rate, determine the flows and compositions of the
product streams, the flash temperature, and the recoveries of the two components.
7. The feed to a distillation column consists of 600 kmole/hr of a binary mixture with a
composition of 35 mole% of the light component. Draw a schematic of the column showing all
the problem data and determine:
a. The distillate and bottoms product rates and component recoveries when the distillate
composition is 0.5 mole% of the heavy component and the bottoms composition is 0.1 mole%
of the light component.
b. The distillate and bottoms product rates and bottoms composition when 98% of the light
component is recovered in the distillate with composition of 0.5 mole% of the heavy
component.
c. The maximum possible composition of the distillate if the distillate rate is fixed at 250
kmole/hr.
d. The maximum recovery of the light component if the bottoms rate is fixed at 400 kmole/hr.
8. A distillation column is fed 1,200 kmole/hr of a mixture containing 60 mole% component A
and 40 mole% component B, where A is the more volatile component. Draw a schematic of
the column showing the problem data and determine:
 a. The distillate and bottoms rates if the distillate is 1 mole% B and the bottoms is 5 mole% A
b. The distillate and bottoms rates for 99% recovery of A and a distillate purity of 98 mole% A
c. The maximum mole fraction of A in the distillate when the distillate rate is 800 kmole/hr
d. The minimum mole fraction of A in the bottoms when the distillate rate is 650 A kmole/hr.
9. A saturated liquid containing 55 weight% methanol and the balance water is fed to a
distillation column at the rate of 4,000 kg/min. Draw a schematic of the column showing the
problem data and determine:
a. The rate of the distillate and bottoms products and the bottoms composition when 99.5%
of the methanol is recovered and the composition of the bottoms is 1.0 weight% methanol. b.
The maximum composition of methanol in the distillate when the distillate rate is 5,400
kmole/hr
c. The rates of the distillate and bottoms products and component recoveries when the
distillate contains 3 weight% water and the bottoms contains 1.0 weight% methanol.
d. Determine the number of required equilibrium stages and the feed tray location at a
reasonable reflux ratio.
10. A saturated liquid solution containing 48 weight% ethanol and the balance water is to be
separated to recover 99.95% of the ethanol and produce a distillate containing no more than
6 weight% water (190 proof). The feed flow is 1,270 kg/min and the column operates at
atmospheric pressure. Draw a schematic of the column showing all the problem data and
determine the required number of equilibrium stages and the location of the feed stage. Use
a reasonable reflux ratio.
11. A distillation column operating at atmospheric pressure is fed 5,860 kg/min of a saturated
vapor mixture containing 30 weight% acetone and the balance methanol. It is desired to
recover 90% of the acetone in the distillate product containing no more than 18 weight%
methanol. Draw a schematic of the column showing the problem data and determine the
required number of actual trays and the optimum location of the feed plate at a reasonable
reflux ratio. Assume an over-all column efficiency of 50%, a total condenser and a partial
reboiler. Report also the product flows and compositions
12. The feed to a distillation column is 3,630 kmole/hr of a saturated liquid containing 45 mole%
benzene and the balance toluene. It is desired to recover 95% of the benzene in the distillate
with a composition of no more than 2 mole% toluene. The column is to be run at 2 atm
pressure. Draw the schematic of the column showing all the problem data and determine the
number of equilibrium stages at total reflux, the minimum reflux ratio, and the required
number of equilibrium stages and feed tray location at a reasonable reflux ratio. Report also
the product flows and compositions
13. A saturated liquid mixture at a rate of 4,500 kg/hr and containing 45 weight% acetone and the
balance ethanol is to be separated by distillation to recover 95% of the acetone in the distillate
with a composition of no more than 3 weight% ethanol. The column operates at atmospheric
pressure. Draw a schematic of the column showing all the problem data and determine the
number of required equilibrium stages and the feed tray location at a reasonable reflux ratio,
the product flows and compositions of the column.
14. A mixture of chloroform and benzene is fed to a distillation column at the rate of 1,600
kmole/hr containing 62 mole% chloroform and the balance benzene. The feed stream is 20%
vaporized by mole at the conditions of the column. It is desired to recover 95% of the
chloroform in the distillate with a composition of no more than 3 mole% benzene. The column
pressure of 1 atm. Draw a schematic diagram of the column showing all the problem data and
determine the required number of equilibrium stages and feed tray location at a reasonable
reflux ratio. Report also the product flows and compositions
15. A saturated liquid feed consisting of 3,800 kg/hr containing 75 weight% acetic acid and the
balance water is to be separated in a distillation column operating at atmospheric pressure. It
is desired to recover 90% of the acetic acid with a purity of no more than 2.5 weight% water.
The molecular weights are 60 for acetic acid and 18 for water. Draw a schematic of the column
and determine the required number of equilibrium stages and the feed tray location at a
reasonable reflux ratio. Report also the product flows and compositions
16. A phenol (0,695 %mole), cumene (0,6 %mole), AMS (alpha-methyl styrene) (0,214%mole),
MPK (methyl-propyl-ketone) (0,031%mole) are fed to distillation column to separate 914
kmole/hr of a liquid mixture, saturated at 1 atm, to recover 97.5% of the phenol in the bottoms
product which is to contain no more than 0.001 mole fraction AMS (alpha-methyl styrene).
The column is to operate at 1 psia at the top and 7.5 psia in bottom. using a reasonable reflux
ratio determine the number of actual trays for an over—all column efficiency of 65%, a total
condenser and a partial reboiler. Report also the location of the feed stage, the flows and
compositions of the product streams, and the recoveries of the two key components.
17. A column is to separate 5,100 kmole/hr of a saturated liquid mixture at 20 psia to recover 99%
of the ethylbenzene in 28 the bottoms product which is to contain no more than 0.6 mole%
toluene. The column is to operate at atmospheric pressure at the top and 25,7 psia in bottom.
Draw a schematic of the column showing the problem data and, using a reasonable reflux ratio
determine the number of actual trays for an over—all column efficiency of 65%, a total
condenser and a partial reboiler. Report also the location of the feed stage, the flows and
compositions of the product streams. State all assumptions. Mole fraction of the feed are
Benzene 0.05 %mole; Toluene 0.45 %mole; Ethylbenzene 0.40%mole; p-Xylene 0.10%mole
18. A distillation column in the Styrene process is to separate the benzene and toluene by-
products from the unreacted ethylbenzene and styrene product. The feed compositions and
equilibrium coefficients are as follows:
Component Feed mole fraction
Benzene 0.0576
Toluene 0.0529
Ethylbenzene 0.2869
Styrene 0.6026

a It is desired to have distillation product with no more than 0.1 mole% ethylbenzene and a
bottoms product with no more than 0.1 mole% toluene. Determine the actual number of trays
required for 50% over-all column efficiency at reasonable reflux ratio. Report also the product
rates and mole fractions. The feed rate is 1,200 29 kmole/hr and it is saturated liquid at the
conditions of the feed plate.
19. A distillation column in the VCM process is to separate the HCl by-product from the unreacted
ethylene di-chloride (EDC) and vinyl chloride (VCM) product. The feed rate is 1,600 kmole/hr
and it enters 30% vapor on a molar basis. Component Feed mole fraction HCl, VCM and EDC
are 0.355 %mole; 0.355 %mole; 0,290 %mole. It is desired recover 99.95% of the VCM and
have a bottoms product with no more than 20 mole ppm (parts per million) HCl. Determine
the actual number of trays required for 50% over-all column efficiency at a reasonable reflux
ratio. Report also the product rates and mole fractions and the recoveries of the key
components.
20. A distillation column in the phenol process is to separate the AMS side product from the
phenol product and the MPK. The feed is a saturated liquid and enters at 600 kmole/hr. The
feed compositions and equilibrium coefficients are as follows:
Component Feed mole fraction
AMS 0.140
Phenol 0.810
MPK 0.050

The distillate product must contain no more than 1.5 mole% phenol and the bottoms product
must contain no more than 100 mole ppm (parts per million) AMS. Determine the actual
number of trays required for 50% over-all column efficiency at a reasonable reflux ratio. Report
also the product rates and mole fractions, and the recoveries of the key components.