Temperature ( F)

Pressure (psia)
Vapor fraction
Mole ow (lb mol/h)
Mass ow (lb/h)
Volume ow (cuft/h)
Enthalpy (MM Btu/h)
Mole ow (lb mol/h)
Propane
i-Butane
n-Butane
i-Pentane
n-Pentane
200.9
138
0
1697.76
111289.75
3495.803
111.116
1
297
499.76
400
500

100
300
500
400
500

0
0.001
4.948
396
499.646

144.6
36
0
900.594
64908.713
1796.606
65.507

99
3
0.24
0
0

82
138
0
102.24
4553.877
148.734
5.347

1
294.03
4.998
0
0.002

79.9
51
0
300.03
17424.737
508.141
19.913

0
2.969
489.815
4
0.352

80.7
36
0
497.136
28956.298
811.661
31.512

0
0.001
4.948
392.04
4.996

99.9
20
0
401.985
28933.903
768.537
30.483

0
0
0
3.96
494.649

116
20
0
498.609
35974.809
961.268
36.397

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0
2.97
494.762
400
499.998

138.7
51
0
1397.73
93865.01
2655.601
96.233

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138
0
1800
115843.62
3126.01
125.049

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TABLE 6.10 Conditions in Distillation Columns in Gas Plant Separation

Column
Minimum reux ratio
Actual reux ratio
Minimum number of stages
Number of actual stages
Feed stage
Reboiler heating required
Condenser cooling required

B1

B2

B3

B4

2.93
3.43
12.9
26
13.7
11.5 106
2.9 106

9.5
10.8
31.1
62.3
33.4
23.8 106
28.8 106

1.9
2.2
11.3
26
13.6
13.4 106
14.2 106

7.9
8.9
36.8
73.5
39.2
40.0 106
41.3 106

EXAMPLE: WATER GAS SHIFT EQUILIBRIUM REACTOR WITH

SENSITIVITY BLOCK AND DESIGN SPECIFICATION BLOCK
Next, we consider an equilibrium reactor and let the temperature change. We have solved
for an adiabatic reactor (Table 4.4), so next solve for one with heating, then do a sensitivity
calculation, and nally solve it with a design specication. In Chapter 8, the same problem
is solved using rate equations.
1. Reactor with Heating: Open the same le used to produce Table 4.4. Change the
inlet temperature to 25 C; in the reactor setup, set the temperature to 226.85 C; see
Figure 6.12. The solution gives a mole fraction 0.079 for CO and H2 O, as was found
for Table 4.4. But if we look at the Reactor Results we nd we need 0.00499 Gcal/h,
or 0.0209 GJ/h. This much energy must be supplied to keep the outlet temperature at
226.85 C.
2. Sensitivity Block: Change the reactor setup to use heat duty instead of temperature
in its specications. Although the heat duty will be changed in the sensitivity calculation, it is a good idea to give it a prospective value, here 0.001 Gcal/h, as shown in
Figure 6.13. Then open Model Analysis Tools/Sensitivity and dene a new analysis
called HEAT. Open the Input under that and dene two owsheet variables, FRACTION and TEMP as shown in Figure 6.14. These are dened by putting in the name

FIGURE 6.12 Reactor with heating.

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EXAMPLE: WATER GAS SHIFT EQUILIBRIUM REACTOR

103

FIGURE 6.13 Reactor setup for sensitivity calculations.

and double clicking it. A variable denition window comes up; for FRACTION, the
window is shown in Figure 6.15. This is the mole fraction of CO in the exit stream,
S2. TEMP is the temperature of stream S2, which is desired for the sensitivity table.
Next, click on the Vary tab and ll in the window as shown in Figure 6.16. By placing
your cursor on each arrow and looking down the selections, you can obtain what
is shown there. The calculation will be done using heat duties from 0.001 to 0.008
Gcal/h. Finally, click on the Tabulate tab and choose FRACTION for column 1 and
TEMP for column 2 of the Table. The parameter being varied will also be listed in
the table. The table is shown in Figure 6.17; it can also be copied and pasted into
Excel. Now we have a solution for a variety of outlet temperatures along with the
heat duty needed to come to that temperature. This takes into account both the heat
capacity of the various substances as well as the heat of reaction
3. Design Specications: The next simulation shows how to set a design specication.
In this case, we will choose the desired mole fraction of CO in the output stream S2

FIGURE 6.14 Input for sensitivity block.

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FIGURE 6.15 Variable denition for sensitivity block.

and let the program gure out what the heating duty is for that outcome. This is done
using the Flowsheeting Options/Design Spec option. Click on Design Spec and create
a new one, called DS-1. Dene the Input as shown in Figure 6.18 in the same way
used for the sensitivity analysis (b)in the preceding text. The specications are set in
the Spec tab, as shown in Figure 6.19: FRACTION is to be set to 0.07, with a tolerance
of 0.001. The parameter to be varied is the same as in the sensitivity example, namely

FIGURE 6.16 Vary a parameter in sensitivity block.

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EXAMPLE: WATER GAS SHIFT EQUILIBRIUM REACTOR

FIGURE 6.17 Table from sensitivity calculations.

FIGURE 6.18 Design specication input.

FIGURE 6.19 Design specications.

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FIGURE 6.20 Results using the design specication block.

the heat duty. The manipulated variable limits are from 0.001 to 0.008 with a step size
of 0.0005. The results under Design Spec are shown in Figure 6.20. The stream S2
has a mole fraction of 0.070 and a temperature of 305.7, using heat duty of 0.006966
Gcal/h.

CHAPTER SUMMARY
This chapter introduces you to the many thermodynamic models available in Aspen Plus.
Aspen Plus was used to solve a variety of distillation problems, with either short-cut
methods (DSTWU) or plate-to-plate methods (RadFrac). You also learned how to solve
gas absorption problems using Aspen Plus. Finally, you learned how to use the sensitivity
option and design spec option in Aspen Plus.

CLASS EXERCISE
Divide into groups of two to four students. Work through each of the examples, with each
person on the team taking a unit, showing where the parameters are for that block and
checking the results. (1) Tables 6.6 and 6.7; (2) Table 6.8 and Figure 6.8; (3) Tables 6.9 and
Figure 6.11. Alternatively, your instructor can prepare a owsheet and dataset showing the
results, but put in some errors for our group to nd.

PROBLEMS (Using Aspen Plus)

6.11 Model column B2 in Figure 6.11 using a shortcut, DSTWU block with the conditions
of the inlet stream as shown in Table 6.9, stream 2, but with a pressure of 51 psia.
6.21 Model column B2 in Figure 6.11 using a detailed model, RadFrac. (Hint: use the
results from problem 6.1 to choose key operating parameters.) Prepare a report
comparing the output when using DSTWU and RadFrac to model the distillation
column. What information was needed for each? How do the results compare?
6.32 (a) Model column B3 in Figure 6.11 using a shortcut, DSTWU block with the
conditions of the inlet stream as shown in Table 6.9, stream 3, but with a pressure

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PROBLEMS (Using Aspen Plus)

107

of 36 psia. (b) Then model the same column using RadFrac. How do the results
compare?
6.42 (a) Model column B4 in Figure 6.11 using a shortcut, DSTWU block with the
conditions of the inlet stream as shown in Table 6.9, stream 4, but with a pressure
of 20 psia. (b) Then model the same column using RadFrac. How do the results
compare?
6.52 Model Example 3 in Perrys Chemical Engineering Handbook (Perry and Green,
2008, pp. 1335, Figures 1337) using (a) DSTWU and (b) RadFrac.
6.61 Results for the gas plant are given in Tables 6.9 and 6.10. Which separations are
the most expensive? If you were the designer, where would you want to spend your
time?
6.71 Carbon dioxide from a fermentation process contains one mole percent ethyl alcohol.
The alcohol needs to be removed by contact with water at 35 C and 1 atm. The gas
ow rate is 400 lb mol/h and the water stream is 620 lb mol/h and contains 0.02 mol%
alcohol. Determine the compositions out of the absorption column if you model it
with 10 stages using RADFRAC.
6.81 Natural gas contains mostly methane but also small amounts of other chemicals that
are valuable in themselves. In a refrigerated absorption process, the natural gas is
cooled to 40 F at 865 psia and sent to an absorber, which uses dodecane as the
absorbing media, with a ow rate of 10,000 lb mol/h. Determine the fraction of
each of the chemicals absorbed in a tower with 30 stages with the input shown in
Table 6.11.
TABLE 6.11 Input for Problem 6.8
Component
Methane
Ethane
Propane
i-Butane
n-Butane
i-Pentane
n-Pentane
Hexane

Flow Rate (lb mol/h)

700,000
27,000
11,000
3,200
2,800
1,200
770
820

6.92 Figure 5.15 shows an ethanol process. The last unit is a distillation tower to remove
water from a mixture of water and ethanol. Note that the mixture forms an azeotrope.
The feed stream is 100 lb mol/h of a 5050 molar mixture of water and ethanol at
80 F and 1 atm.
1. Simulate a distillation tower to create the azeotropic mixture (93% ethanol). Use
the WILS-2 option for the thermodynamic model (see Figures 3.5 and 3.6 for
the data). Model the column using the DSTWU short-cut model with recovery
fractions of 0.85 and 0.15 for ethanol and water, respectively. Start with 10 stages
and let DSTWU gure out how many stages are needed.

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2. Use RadFrac with the number of stages and reux rate set by the output from the
DSTWU model.
6.102 An air stream with ow rate of 14,515 kmol/h and composition of 0.781 nitrogen,
0.210 oxygen, and 0.009 argon is to be distilled at low temperature and high pressure.
Take the input to the distillation column at 138.1 C and 32 bar.
1. Experimental data (Txy diagram) at 150.5 C can be obtained using the NIST
TDE system. Verify that the PENG-ROB equation of state does a good job of
representing this data.
2. Using Aspen Plus, simulate a distillation column using the shortcut module,
DSTWU. For thermodynamics, use the PengRobinson option, as suggested by
Aspen. Use 35 stages, nitrogen as the light key, recovery (out top) of 0.85, oxygen
as the heavy key, recovery (out top) of 0.05. What is the minimum reux ratio?
What is the actual reux ratio? What is the minimum number of stages? All these
quantities are useful when using a more complicated distillation model. Since
this process is at a very low temperature, the most expensive part of the process
is the refrigeration, that is, the heat duty of the condenser, so note that.
3. Form a group and have each person examine the effect of changing one of the
operational choices: number of stages, reux ratio, fraction of light key and heavy
key, and thermodynamic choice, such as NRTLRK, and report the results. These
guidelines can then be used when simulating the entire gasication plant.
6.112 Solve the same Problem 6.10 using the RADFRAC module in Aspen Plus. Use 50
stages, feed on stage 30, distillate rate of 10,000 kmol/h, and a reux ratio of 30.
Sometimes it helps to get a solution by starting out with a higher reux ratio, or
more stages, and then changing them to the ones you want. How does the separation
compare with the shortcut method in Problem 6.10? Is one column sufcient to
obtain a relatively pure oxygen stream? What could you do to improve the purity of
the oxygen stream? Remember that the cost of refrigeration is a signicant cost in
this process, and that goes up with reux ratio.