NKB 30503 JULY 2017

Problems
11.1-1 For the system NH3-water and only a vapor phase present, calculate the number of degrees
of freedom. Determine variables that can be fixed.

11.1-2 For the system benzene-toluene (using Table 11.1-1):

a) Calculate yA and xA at 378.2K using Roults Law
b) If a mixture has a composition of xA = 0.40 and is at 358.2K and 101.32kPa
pressure, will it boil? If not, at what temperature will it boil and what will be the
composition of the vapor first coming off?

11.1-3 The vapor-pressure data are given below for the system hexane-octane:
Vapor pressure
n-Hexane n-octane
T (F) T (C) kPa mm Hg kPa Mm Hg
155.7 68.7 101.3 760 16.1 121
175 79.4 136.7 1025 23.1 173
200 93.3 197.3 1480 37.1 278
225 107.2 284.0 2130 57.9 434
258.2 125.7 456.0 3420 101.3 760
NKB 30503 JULY 2017

11.3-1 Calculate the relative volatility for each concentration and plot versus the liquid
composition xA.
x y
1.000 1.000
0.867 0.984
0.594 0.925
0.398 0.836
0.254 0.701
0.145 0.521
0.059 0.271
0 0

11.4-1/11.4-3 A rectification column is fed 100 kg mol/h of a mixture of 50 mol% benzene and
50 mol% toluene at 101.32 kPa abs pressure. The feed liquid is at the boiling point. The distillate
is to contain 90 mol% benzene and the bottoms 10 mol% benzene. The reflux ratio is 4.52:1.

a) Calculate the kg mol/h distillate and kg mol/h bottoms,

b) Determine the number of theoretical trays needed using McCabe-Thiele method

c) Determine the minimum reflux ratio, Rm

d) Minimum number of theoretical plates at total reflux

11.4-2 A saturated liquid feed of 200 mol/h at the boiling point containing 42 mol% heptane and
58% ethyl benzene is to be fractionated at 101.32 kPa abs to give a distillate containing 97
mol% heptane and a bottoms containing 1.1 mol% heptane. The reflux ratio used is 2.5:1.
Calculate the mol/h distillate, mol/h bottoms, theoretical number of trays, and the feed tray
number. See Table page 753.
NKB 30503 JULY 2017

11.4-7 An enriching tower is fed 100 kg mol/h of a saturated vapor feed containing 40 mol%
benzene (A) and 60 mol% toluene (B) at 101.32 kPa abs. The distillate is to contain 90
mol% benzene. The reflux ratio is set at 4.0:1. Calculate the kg mol/h distillate D and
bottoms W and their compositions. Also, calculate the number of theoretical plates
required.