H83MCS

Flash Calculations
Lecture 3

Dr Nusrat Sharmin
SEB 339
Nusrat.Sharmin@nottingham.edu.cn
1

Flash Calculations
V
yi
HV

Feed
F, zi
T1, P1
Heater,
Pump QH

F
zi
hF
TF Valve
Tdrum, Pdrum
PF

condenser

V yi

L
xi
hL

In SP1 it was shown how VLE data could be used to calculate

the composition of top and bottom products for a set value of
2
(L/V)

Flash Calculations (binary system)

Fz Vy Lx
L
F
y x z (operating line )
V
V
1 f
z
V
y
x ; f
f
f
F

F, z

V, y

L, x

Operating line,
slope L/V

The composition is
obtained from the
intersection of the
operating line and
the equilibrium curve

0.8
0.6
y

z, z

0.4
0.2

y = 0.62
0
0

0.2

0.4

0.6
x

0.8

x = 0.37
3

Flash Calculations (binary system)

0 < f=V/F < 1
F

0.8

0.6
y

1 f
z
y
x
f
f

0.4

0.2

f=0.5

0.9
0.8

0
0

0.2

0.4

0.6
x

0.8

f=0.7

0.7
0.6

f=1

0.5
0.4
0

0.2 x 0.4

As the fraction of vaporised feed f=V/F increases, the top product

composition falls

0.6

F, zi

V, yi

V, yi

L, xi

MULTICOMPONENT FLASH
CALCULATIONS
5

Flash Calculations
Usually the feed flow rate and the feed
mole fractions zi for C-1 components
are specified. Also Pdrum and Tdrum or
one liquid or vapour composition are
also specified.

zi

yi

xi

Pdrum, Tdrum

heat

A component mass balance gives:

Fzi Vyi Lxi

We can develop this expression to get a method for
calculating V, L and the composition of each stream
6

Flash Calculations

Fzi Vyi Lxi

From which we can derive:

Fzi VK i xi Lxi
Fz i
Lxi
VK i
L 1

Considering all the components in the mixture gives:

Fz i
L Lxi
VK i
L 1

VK i
Where
is known as the Stripping factor, Si
L

Flash Calculations
Similarly, we can get an expression for the total
vapour flow, V:

Fz i
L

VK 1
i

L
Where
is known as the Absorption factor, Ai
VK i

Solving Flash Calculations

Fzi VK i xi Lxi and F V L

V, yi

Fz i
xi
F V K iV
xi

F, zi

zi
L, xi

V
1 ( K i 1)
F

yi K i xi

K i zi
V
1 ( K i 1)
F

How can we determine V/F?

How can we determine V/F?

use the two stoichiometric equations xi=1 and yi=1
n

i 1

zi
V
1 ( K i 1)
F

i 1

K i zi
V
1 ( K i 1)
F

Either of the two equations can be used to determine V/F,

but they do not have good convergence properties. But the
following equation has good convergence:
n

K i zi

V
i 1
1 ( K i 1)
F

Assume = V/F

zi

V
i 1
1 ( K i 1)
F

i 1

Ki 1zi

i 1

1 ( K i 1)v

f (v )

K i 1zi

1 ( K i 1)

V
F

?
0
10

In order to solve for v, we can use

Regula-falsi method,

but since an expression for the derivative of f(v) can be

developed, Newton method can also be used:
f ( x) 0

Newton method

f k 1 f k
fk
f ' ( xk )
xk 1 xk
xk 1 xk
f ' ( xk )
Since the goal is to reach f(x)=0, thats why we set fk+1 = 0

Ki 1zi

z K 1
f (v )
0 f ' v i i
2
1

(
K

1
)
v

(
K

1
)
v
i 1
i 1
i
i
n

vk 1 vk

K i 1zi

1 (K

1)vk
2
n
zi K i 1

(
K

1
)
v
i 1
i
k
i 1

V
vk
F k
11

Example Flash Calculations

The following mixture is to be flashed
isothermally at 3 bar and -40C
V

Substance

Mol Fraction, zi

Ki

Ethane

0.36

2.3

Propylene

0.51

0.49

Propane

0.13

0.38

Calculate the fraction evaporated, and the composition of top

and bottom products
Solve this problem in pairs, one use the Regula-falsi method and the
other use the Newton method. In the next example you will swap
methods.

12

Regula-falsi method
Finding roots of single variable equations of the form f(x) = 0
Used when an analytical expression for the derivative of f with respect to x
is not available
Algorithm is:
1. Find a pair (x1, x2) of values of x such that f1=f(x1)<0 and f2=f(x2)>0
2. Estimate the value of the root of f(x) from the following formula:
x f x f
xnew 1 2 2 1
f 2 f1

and evaluate fnew=f(xnew)

f2
x1
x2

f1
Solution

3. Use the new point to replace one of the original points, keeping the two
points on opposite sides of the x axis. If fnew<0, replace the old x1 and f1 with
xnew and fnew. If fnew>0, replace x2 and f2 with xnew and fnew. If fnew=0, you have
found the root, congratulations!.
4. Check if x1 and x2 are close enough for convergence to be declared. If
they are not, go back to step 2.
13

14

15

Solving Flash Calculations

V

Fz i
L

VK 1
i

Fz i
L
VK i
L 1

T & P usually specified and assuming ideal solutions Ki=Ki(Tdrum,

Pdrum) so K values can be calculated from a DePriester chart

Fz i

Fz i
V LF

VK i
VK 1
L 1
i

zi

zi
L VK i 1 0
VK 1
L 1
i

L
16

Step 1 Guess a value for (V/L)

Step 2 Use this value to calculate V and L from the two
equations above
Step 3 Establish whether the calculated (V/L) is the same
as the estimated (V/L)
Step 4 Repeat using adjusted (V/L) until agreement is
reached
17

Example Flash Calculations

Step 1 Guess V/L = 1

Substance

Mol Fraction

Ethane

0.36

2.3

Propylene

0.51

0.49

Propane

0.13

0.38

Step 2 Calculate V/L from assumed value:

L

Fz i
VK i
L 1

zi
L

F
VK i
L 1

L
0.36
0.51
0.13

0.545
F 2.3 1 0.49 1 0.38 1

Similarly:
V
0.36
0.51
0.13
1
1
1
0.454
F 2.3 1 0.49 1 0.38 1

V
0.833
L
18

Second Iteration

Step 1 Guess V/L = 0.4

Substance

Mol Fraction

Ethane

0.36

2.3

Propylene

0.51

0.49

Propane

0.13

0.38

Step 2 Calculate V/L from assumed value:

zi
V

F
L

1
VK

zi
L

F
VK i
L 1

L
0.36
0.51
0.13

0.726
F 0.92 1 0.196 1 0.152 1

Similarly:
V
0.36
0.51
0.13
1
1
1
0.273
F 0.92 1 0.196 1 0.152 1

V
0.376
L
19

Third Iteration

Step 1 Guess V/L = 0.3

Substance

Mol Fraction

Ethane

0.36

2.3

Propylene

0.51

0.49

Propane

0.13

0.38

Step 2 Calculate V/L from assumed value:

zi
V

F
L

VK 1
i

zi
L

F
VK i
L 1

L
0.36
0.51
0.13

0.775
F 0.69 1 0.147 1 0.114 1

Similarly:
V
0.36
0.51
0.13
1
1
1
0.225
F 0.69 1 0.147 1 0.114 1

V
0.291
L

20

Fourth Iteration
Step 1 Guess V/L = 0.25

Substance

Mol Fraction

Ethane

0.36

2.3

Propylene

0.51

0.49

Propane

0.13

0.38

Step 2 Calculate V/L from assumed value:

zi
V

F
L

VK 1
i

zi
L

F
VK i
L 1

L
0.36
0.51
0.13

0.802
F 0.575 1 0.123 1 0.095 1

Similarly:
V
0.36
0.51
0.13
1
1
1
0.198
F 0.575 1 0.123 1 0.095 1

V
0.246
L
21

Fourth Iteration
Guess V/L = 0.25
Calculated V/L = 0.246

Substance

Mol Fraction

Ethane

0.36

2.3

Propylene

0.51

0.49

Propane

0.13

0.38

These are close enough for now

How do we calculate compositions now

that we have out V/L value?

22

Product Compositions

Substance

Mol Fraction

Ethane

0.36

2.3

Propylene

0.51

0.49

Propane

0.13

0.38

We can set up a mass balance for a general

component, i:

Fzi Vyi Lxi

and

F =V +L

y VL x
zi
1 VL
When (L/V) = 0.25 this becomes: zi = 0.8yi + 0.2xi
23

Product Compositions
We can write a separate equation
for each of the three components
relating x and y:

Substance

Mol Fraction

Ethane

0.36

2.3

Propylene

0.51

0.49

Propane

0.13

0.38

0.36 0.8 y1 0.2 x1

0.51 0.8 y2 0.2 x2
0.13 0.8 y3 0.2 x3
In flash distillation operations the liquid and vapour
leave in equilibrium, hence:

yi
Ki
xi
24

Product Compositions
We can now eliminate x or y from
our three equations:

0.36 0.8 y1

0.2 y1
2.3

0.51 0.8 y2

0.2 y2
0.49

Substance

Mol Fraction

Ethane

0.36

2.3

Propylene

0.51

0.49

Propane

0.13

0.38

0.2 y3
0.13 0.8 y3
0.38
So we get:

y1 0.406

y2 0.422

y3 0.098

0.926
25

Product Compositions

0.926 1

Product compositions are very sensitive to (L/V)

Small changes to (L/V) yield large changes in composition

At present the calculations serve as a first level estimate of

how the mixture will separate
Ideally more iterations are required so that
(L/V)guess = (L/V)calculated

26