Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 1

McCabe-Thiele Method for Trayed Towers

Absorption and stripping are common methods for separating vapor and liquid mixtures. A more
complete separation can be achieved by combining these processes into a binary distillation column.
Total condenser

Feed

Overhead vapor

Boilup

N

2

1

Distillation
f

Reflux drum

Rectifying section stages

Stripping section stages

Feed Stage

Bottoms

Partial reboiler

Reflux

Distillate

L
0
(absorbent)

V
N+1
(vapor to be
separated)

V
1
L
N
1

2

N1

N

L
N+1
(liquid to be separated)

V
0
(stripper)

V
N
L
1
1

2

N1

N

Absorption
Stripping
Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 2
McCabe-Thiele Method for Trayed Towers
The general countercurrent-flow, multistage, binary distillation column shown below consists of
A column of N theoretical stages
A total condenser to produce a reflux liquid to act as an absorbent and a liquid distillate
A partial reboiler to produce boilup vapor to act as a stripping agent and a bottoms product
An intermediate feed stage.

This configuration allows one to achieve a sharp separation, except in cases where an
azeotrope exists where one of the products will approach the azeotropic concentration.
The goal of distillation
is to achieve a distillate
rich in the light key and
a bottoms rich in the
heavy key.
Total condenser

Feed

Overhead vapor

Boilup

N

2

1

Distillation
f

Reflux drum

Rectifying section stages

Stripping section stages

Feed Stage

Bottoms

Partial reboiler

Reflux

Distillate

Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 3
McCabe-Thiele Method for Trayed Towers
The feed contains a more volatile component (the light key, LK) and a less volatile component (the heavy key, HK).
At the feed temperature and pressure it may consist of a liquid, vapor or mixture of vapor and liquid. The feed
composition is given by the light key mole fraction Z
F
. The bottoms composition is given by the LK mole fraction
X
B
, whereas the distillate composition is given by the LK mole fraction X
D
.
Total condenser

Feed (L/V)

Overhead vapor

Boilup

N

2

1

Distillation
f

Reflux drum

Rectifying section stages

Stripping section stages

Feed Stage

Bottoms

Partial reboiler

Reflux

Distillate

LK mole fraction z
F
LK mole fraction x
D
LK mole fraction x
B
The difficulty in achieving
the separation is determined
by the relative volatility, o
between the LK=1, and
the HK=2.
o
1,2
= K
1
/ K
2
If the two components form an
ideal solution then Raoults
Law applies and:
K
i
= P
i
s
/ P
The relative volatility is then
just the ratio of the vapor
pressures:
o
1,2
= P
1
s
/ P
2
s
Only a function of T
As T increases, o decreases until at some
point it becomes equal to one and no
separation is possible.
Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 4
McCabe-Thiele Method: Equilibrium Curve
We can rewrite the relative volatility in terms of the mole fractions of the light key in a binary mixture
as follows:
o
1,2
= K
1
/ K
2
=
y
1
/ x
1
y
2
/ x
2
=
y
1
/ x
1
1 y
1
( )/ 1 x
1
( )
=
y
1
1 x
1
( )
x
1
1 y
1
( )
For close boiling point components the temperature, and thus o will be nearly constant in the column. Solving for the
mole fraction of the LK in the vapor gives:
For components which do not have close boiling points o will vary depending on composition. The equilibrium
curve will appear similar to that of fixed o, but wont fit the equation below for constant o.
y
1
=
o
1,2
x
1
1+ x
1
o
1,2
1
( )
y
1

x
1
Equilibrium
curve

45

line

y
1

x
1
45

line

Increasing
Relative
volatility
Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 5
Specifications for the McCabe-Thiele Method
Specifications
F Total Feed Rate
z
F
mole fraction composition of the feed
P Column operating pressure (assume uniform in column)
Phase condition of the feed @P
Vapor-liquid equilibrium curve for the binary @P
Type of overhead condenser (total or partial)
x
D
Mole fraction composition of the distillate
x
B
Mole fraction composition of the bottoms
R/R
min
Ratio of reflux to minimum reflux

Results
D Distillate flow rate
B Bottoms flow rate
N
min
Minimum number of equilibrium stages
R
min
Minimum reflux ratio, L
min
/D
R Reflux ratio, L/D
V
B
Boilup ratio, V/B
N Number of equilibrium stages
Optimal feed- stage location
Stage vapor and liquid compositions
Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 6
McCabe-Thiele Method: Column Mass Balance
Fz
F
= x
D
D+ x
B
B
Feed (L/V)

Boilup

N

2

1

f

Bottoms

Reflux

F, z
F
D, x
D
B, x
B
Distillate
A mass balance in the LK component around the column gives:

A total mass balance around the column gives:

F = D+ B
So we know that the mole fraction of the light key of the feed is between that of the distillate and bottoms:

D= F
z
F
x
B
x
D
x
B
|
\


|
.
|
|
If D, F, are z
F
, specified, then
either x
D
or x
B
can be specified.
Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 7
McCabe-Thiele Method: Rectifying Section
V
n+1
y
n+1
= L
n
x
n
+ Dx
D
Feed (L/V)

Boilup

N

n

1

f

Bottoms

Reflux

Z
F
L, x
D
= x
0
x
B
Distillate
Which we can rearrange to find:

The rectifying section extends from stage 1 to the stage just above the feed stage.

If we perform a material balance in the light key
around the n stages of the rectifying section
including the condenser:

y
n+1
=
L
n
V
n+1
x
n
+
D
V
n+1
x
D
x
D
n

1

Reflux

L
0
, x
D
= x
0
Distillate
x
D
L
x
n

V
y
n+1

If L and V are constant in the column from
stage to stage, then this is a straight line.
Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 8
McCabe-Thiele Method: Constant Molar Overflow
Feed (L/V)

Boilup

N

n

1

f

Bottoms

Reflux

Z
F
L, x
D
= x
0
x
B
Distillate
y
n+1
=
L
n
V
n+1
x
n
+
D
V
n+1
x
D
x
D
If L and V are constant, then this is a straight line. This requires that
The two components have equal and constant enthalpies of vaporization
The heat capacity changes are negligible compared to the heat of vaporization
The column is well insulated so heat loss is negligible
The pressure in the column is uniform

These conditions lead to the condition of constant molar overflow.
For this condition the amount of vapor transferred to the liquid
stream in each stage is equal to the amount of liquid
transferred to the vapor stream. Thus the liquid and vapor
stream flow rates are constant in the entire section.
Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 9
McCabe-Thiele Method: Rectifying Section Operating Line
Feed (L/V)

Boilup

N

n

1

f

Bottoms

Reflux

Z
F
L, x
D
= x
0
x
B
Distillate
x
D
y =
L
V
x +
D
V
x
D
The liquid entering stage one is the reflux L and its ratio to the distillate L/D
is the reflux ratio R. If we have constant molar overflow, then R is a constant and
L
V
=
L
L + D
=
L/ D
L / D+ D/ D
=
R
R+1
D
V
=
D
L+ D
=
1
R+1
and
We define this equation as the
operating line of the rectifying
section.
In the case of constant molar overflow
we can then drop the stage subscripts:
y
n+1
=
L
n
V
n+1
x
n
+
D
V
n+1
x
D
Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 10
McCabe-Thiele Method: Operating Line
x

Equilibrium
curve

45

line

n

1

f

Reflux

x
D
= x
0
Distillate
x
D
L, x
n
V, y
n+1

y =
L
V
x +
D
V
x
D
We can then rewrite:
as
y =
R
R+1
x +
1
R+1
x
D
x
0
=x
D
x
1
y
y
1

y
2

y =
1
R+1
x
D
Rectifying Section Operating line
Slope=L/V=R/(R+1)<1

If R and X
D
are specified then we can graph the line shown in the
following plot.
Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 11
McCabe-Thiele Method: Stripping Section
Lx
m
=Vy
m+1
+ Bx
B
Feed (L/V)

Boilup

N

n

1

f

Bottoms

Reflux

z
F
L, x
D
= x
0
x
B
Distillate
Which we can rearrange and use the constant molar overflow assumption to find:

The stripping section extends from the stage just below the feed stage to the bottom stage N.
If we perform a material balance in the light key around the bottom stages of the rectifying section
including the condenser we have that:

y =
L
V
x
B
V
x
B
x
D
L
x
m

V
y
m+1

y =
V
B
+1
V
B
x
1
V
B
x
B and
Boilup

N

Bottoms

B, x
B
m+1

L, x
N
V, y
B
Since:

L
V
=
V + B
V
=
V
B
+1
V
B
L = V + B
Then
V
B
is called the boilup ratio.
V
B
=
V
B
We define this equation as the operating line
of the stripping section.
This is also the operating line of
the stripping section .
Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 12
McCabe-Thiele Method: Stripping Section
x

Equilibrium
curve

45

line

x
N
x
B
y
y
B

y
N

Stripping Section Operating Line
Slope=L/V=(V
B
+1)/V
B
If V
B
and X
B
are specified then we can graph this as the line shown in the
following plot.
y =
V
B
+1
V
B
x
1
V
B
x
B
L
x
m

V
y
m+1

Boilup

N

Bottoms

B, x
B
m+1

L, x
N
V, y
B
x
m
Y
m+1

y =
V
B
+1
V
B
x
1
V
B
x
B
Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 13
Feed Stage Considerations
In determining the operating lines for the rectifying and stripping sections we needed the bottoms and
distillate compositions and reflux and reboil ratios. The compositions can be independently specified, but
R and V
B
are related to the vapor to liquid ratio in the feed.
F
F
F
F
F
L
L
L
L
L
V
V < V
V
V
V
V
V = V
V = V
F
+V
V = F+V
V > F+V
L > F+L
L = F+ L
L = L + L
F
L = L
L < L
Subcooled Liquid
Bubble Point Liquid
Partially Vaporized
Dew Point Vapor
Superheated Vapor
Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 14
Feed Conditions
So except in the cases where the feed is a supercooled liquid or superheated
vapor the boilup is related to the reflux by the material balance:
V = L + DV
F
V
B

V
B
=
L + DV
F
B
Distillation operations can be specified by the reflux ratio or boilup ratio
although the reflux ratio (or R/R
min
) is most often specified.
Dividing by B gives
the boilup ratio:
L = B +V
V = D+ L
V
F
+ L
F
= D+ B
V = V +V
F
L = L + L
F
V
F
+ L L = D+ B
V
F
+ L L = D+ L V
V = L + DV
F
Consider the cases where the feed is not a supercooled liquid or a superheated vapor:
Mass balance around the reboiler:
Mass balance around the condenser:
Mass balance around the column:
Vapor entering the rectifying section:
Liquid entering the stripping section:
Substitute this into the column balance:
Substitute in the reboiler balance:
In other words, the vapor
entering the rectifying section
is the vapor entering the condenser
minus the feed vapor flow rate.
Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 15
The q-line
First, we define the parameter q by:
q =
L L
F
yV = Lx Bx
B
yV = Lx + Dx
D
Subtracting the two operating lines:
Gives: y V V ( )= L L ( )x + Dx
D
+ Bx
B
Using a material balance in the LK: Dx
D
+ Bx
B
= Fz
F
Using a material balance around the feed stage to elminate vapor flow rates:
F+V + L = V + L
Simplifying and using the definition of q results in the q-line:
y =
q
q 1
|
\

|
.
| x
z
F
q 1
|
\

|
.
| x = z
F
y = z
F
minus
y V V ( )= L L ( )x + Fz
F
V V = F + L L
y F + L L ( )= L L ( )x + Fz
F
The q-line has slope q/(q-1)
and intercepts the 45 degree
line at y=z
F

Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 16
Construction Lines for McCabe-Thiele Method
Equilibrium
curve

45

line

x=z
F
x
B
y
y
B

y
N

Stripping Section:
Operating line
Slope=L/V=(V
B
+1)

/V
B

x
D
Rectifying Section:
Operating line
Slope=L/V=R/(R+1)<1

q-line
y =
L
V
x +
D
V
x
D
y =
L
V
x
B
V
x
B
y =
q
q 1
|
\

|
.
| x
z
F
q 1
|
\

|
.
|
Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 17
Feed Stage Location Using McCabe-Thiele
Equilibrium
curve

x=z
F
x
B
y
y
B

y
N

x
D
Equilibrium
curve

x=z
F
x
B
y
y
B

y
N

x
D
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
Feed stage located one tray too low.
Feed stage located one tray too high.
Lecture 13: McCabe Thiele 18
Construction Lines for McCabe-Thiele Method
Equilibrium
curve

x=z
F
x
B
y
y
B

y
N

x
D
1
2
3
4