Week 3 Challenge
Q1. In this question i have used the shortcut column for a normal estimation for the possible different column configurations for separating individual components. To use the shortcut column, i have used it from the models and streams menu choosing the shortcut column option. In this question there are four components namely Ethane, N-pentane, N-hexane and N-heptane respectively. Using the shortcut column option i have simulated four different configurations of distillation column setup for separation of the individual components with a high degree of purity.
The feed conditions is considered arbitrarily and composition is considered as given in question. The details are shown in below images:
1st Configuration:
The simulated network of the distillation column setup is shown below:
As it is seen from the image three distillation column setup configurations are used for separation of the individual components with high degree of purity. Now, from the first column the lighter component Ethane is separated from the feed as an overhead product and the bottoms from the first column is fed into the second column. In the second column the lighter component N-pentane is separated from the remaining feed as an overhead product and again the bottoms of the second column is fed into a third column. Now, in the third column the lighter component N-hexane is separated as an overhead product and the heavier component N-heptane is separated as the bottom product. Thus, all the individual components are separated with a high degree of purity. Details of all the columns are shown in below images.
Column 1:
Details of the first column like the column conditions, column composition, parameters and column performance are shown in below images:
As it is seen Ethane is separated from the first column as an overhead product with 99.47% purity.
Column 2:
Details of the second column like the column conditions, column composition, parameters and column performance are shown in below images:
As it is seen from the image n-pentane is separated from the second column as an overhead product with 97.75% purity.
Column 3:
Details of the third column like the column conditions, column composition, parameters and column performance are shown in below images:
As it is seen from the image, in the third column the lighter component N-hexane is separated as an overhead product and the heavier component N-hepatane is separated as the bottom product with 98.25% purity and 99.5% purity respectively.
2nd Configuration:
The simulated network of the distillation column setup is shown below:
As it is seen from the image three distillation column setup configurations are used for separation of the individual components with high degree of purity. Now, from the first column the lighter components (Ethane, N-pentane) are separated from the feed as an overhead product and the bottoms from the first column contain the heavier components (N-hexane, N-heptane). In the second column the lighter component Ethane is separated from the remaining feed as an overhead product and the bottoms of the second column contain the heavier component N-pentane. Now, in the third column the lighter component N-hexane is separated as an overhead product and the heavier component N-heptane is separated as the bottom product. Thus, all the individual components are separated with a high degree of purity. Details of all the columns are shown in below images.
Column 1:
Details of the first column like the column conditions, column composition, parameters and column performance are shown in below images:
As it is seen from the image the first column is used to merely separate out the lighter components (Ethane, N-pentane) and the heavier components (N-hexane, N-heptane) respectively.
Column 2:
Details of the second column like the column conditions, column composition, parameters and column performance are shown in below images:
As it is seen from the image the components Ethane and N-pentane are separated as overhead and bottom products with 99.9% purity and 98.65% purity respectively.
Column 3:
Details of the third column like the column conditions, column composition, parameters and column performance are shown in below images:
As it is seen from the image the components N-hexane and N-heptane are separated as overhead and bottom products with 98.25% purity and 99.5% purity respectively.
3rd Configuration:
The simulated network of the distillation column setup is shown below:
As it is seen from the image three distillation column setup configurations are used for separation of the individual components with high degree of purity. Now, from the first column the lighter component Ethane is separated from the feed as an overhead product and the bottoms from the first column is fed into the second column. In the second column the heavier component N-heptane is separated from the remaining feed as the bottom product and the lighter overhead stream of the second column is fed into a third column. Now, in the third column the lighter component N-pentane is separated as an overhead product and the heavier component N-hextane is separated as the bottom product. Thus, all the individual components are separated with a high degree of purity. Details of all the columns are shown in below images.
Column 1:
Details of the first column like the column conditions, column composition, parameters and column performance are shown in below images:
As it is seen from the image the component ethane is separated in the first column with a purity of 99.47%.
Column-2:
Details of the second column like the column conditions, column composition, parameters and column performance are shown in below images:
As it is seen from the image the component N-heptane is separated in the second column with a purity of 99.5%.
Column-3:
Details of the third column like the column conditions, column composition, parameters and column performance are shown in below images:
As it is seen from the image the components N-pentane and N-hexane are separated in the third column with 97.76% and 98.5% purity respectively.
4th Configuration:
The simulated network of the distillation column setup is shown below:
As it is seen from the image three distillation column setup configurations are used for separation of the individual components with high degree of purity. Now, from the first column the heavier component N-heptane is separated from the feed as the bottom product and the overhead stream from the first column is fed into the second column. In the second column the heavier component N-hexane is separated from the remaining feed as the bottom product and again the overhead stream of the second column is fed into a third column. Now, in the third column the lighter component Ethane is separated as an overhead product and the heavier component N-pentane is separated as the bottom product. Thus, all the individual components are separated with a high degree of purity. Details of all the columns are shown in below images.
Column-1:
Details of the first column like the column conditions, column composition, parameters and column performance are shown in below images:
As it is seen from the image the component N-heptane is separated from the feed in the first column with 99.5% purity.
Column-2:
Details of the second column like the column conditions, column composition, parameters and column performance are shown in below images:
As it is seen from the image the component N-hextane is separated from the remaining feed in the second column with 97.75% purity.
Column-3:
Details of the third column like the column conditions, column composition, parameters and column performance are shown in below images:
As it is seen from the images the components Ethane and N-pentane are separated in the third column with 99.5% and 98.25% purity.
Q2. In this question i have used the shortcut column option with the given conditions and composition to determine the distillation column details.
The feed conditions and composition is considered as given in the question. It is shown below in images:
The distillation column network is shown below:
As it is seen from the image Ethane of required purity is separated as an overhead product from the ffed mixture in the first column. The bottoms from the first column is fed into a second column where N-pentane is separated out as an overhead product with the required purity.
Column-1:
Details of the first column like the column conditions, column composition, parameters and column performance are shown in below images:
As it is seen from the images, Ethane of 99.5% purity is separated out from the first column.
Column-2:
Details of the second column like the column conditions, column composition, parameters and column performance are shown in below images:
As it is seen from the image N-pentane is separated from the second column with required purity.