Determination the distillation efficiency of two components

II. Methodology
The ethyl alcohol-water mixture was prepared with an alcohol concentration
of 30% at the bottom of the distillation column, which consists of 11 plates.
The experiment was performed by connecting the electrical system. After that, the
mixture was transferred into the initial mixture heating device. The bottom of the
mixture was heated. The tower input mixture was in liquid form, when the equipment
is turned on, the liquid flows downward, and the vapor flows upward, coming into
direct contact with each other. The outgoing product was condensed using a
condenser at the top of the column and then returns through a reflux control system
back to the top of the tower. The experiment was observed within the device, and
temperature data for each plates were recorded every 10 minutes (Figure 1). When
the experiment is finished, the system was turned off, then the above data were
checked and recorded in the common experiment book.

1. Reflux section
2. Distillation section
3. Condenser located at the top
of the tower
4. Reboiler
5. Initial mixture heating device
6. Reflux control system

Figure 1. Continuous distillation tower diagram

Afterward, the temperature data obtained needed to be processed along with data to
calculate the corresponding x and y*.
Table 1. The liquid-vapor equilibrium data for the ethyl alcohol-water system at P
= 760 mmHg
x(molar
0 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
fraction)
y*(molar
0 33.2 44.2 53.1 57.6 61.4 65.4 69.9 75.3 81.8 89.8 100
fraction)
( ℃) 100 99.5 86.5 83.2 81.7 80.8 80 79.4 79 78.6 78.4 78.4

Where x and y were the mole fraction of the component in the liquid and vapor
phases, respectively
The element concentration on each plate was calculated according to the
interpolation method, the concentration at the temperature to be calculated was
between the two concentrations and the temperature in table 2.

In addition to the graph, the theoretical plates number could also be determined
according to the Fenske–Underwood equation.

Where was the relative coefficient of evaporation, is the smallest

theoretical plates number. At the atmospheric pressure of P = 760 mmHg, the
temperature of water and ethyl alcohol is 373 K and 351.37 K.
 After obtaining the theoretical plates , it is possible to determine the general

efficiency of the column in full reflux mode .

III. Results
Table 2. Temperature on each plates
bottom Plate 1 Plate 3 Plate 5 Plate 7 Plate 9 Plate 11 Top
Time
temp(℃ temp(℃ temp(℃ temp(℃ temp(℃ temp(℃ temp(℃ temp(℃
(min)
) ) ) ) ) ) ) )
0 96.3 80.7 78.2 78.5 78.8 79.0 78.9 78.9
10 96.2 80.8 78.1 78.4 78.6 78.9 78.7 78.8
20 96.2 80.7 78.2 78.5 78.7 78.9 78.9 78.9
30 96.2 80.7 78.2 78.6 78.6 78.9 78.9 78.8
40 96.2 80.7 78.1 78.5 78.8 79.0 78.9 78.9
50 96.3 80.7 78.3 78.6 78.7 78.9 78.8 78.9
60 96.2 80.8 78.2 78.6 78.7 78.9 78.8 78.9
Average 89.63 80.73 78.19 78.51 78.70 78.90 78.83 78.87

The detailed experimental data is presented in table 2, after that the processed data
are recorded in table 3 using equation interpolation method.
Table 3. The concentration of two components on each plates
Plate Bottom Plate 1 Plate 3 Plate 5 Plate 7 Plate 9 Plate 11 Top
T(℃) 96.23 80.73 78.19 78.51 78.70 78.93 78.83 78.87
x 3.09 40.88 84.50 77.50 71.75 74.25 73.25
y* 13.28 61.05 78.20 70.43 74.16 72.54 73.19
The x-y* concentration on plate 3 could not be determined because there are no
temperature data on table 1.
From the data on table 3, the graph x-y* was formed.
 90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Figure 2. Theoretical plates number according to x-y graph*

According to the graph, the theoretical plates number were 5, the distillation
efficiency was 45.5%.
According to the Fenke-Underwood equation, the theoretical plates number were
7.2, the distillation efficiency was 65.5%.

Based on the data table 3 and figure 2, the obtained results indicate that the
distillation efficiency of two methods are 45.5% and 65.5%. Additionally, the
theoretical plates number results from both methods are different.
IV. Discussion
In this experiment, we gain an understanding of the overall working mechanism of
the distillation apparatus. By identifying the predominant components at the
bottom and top of the equipment, we can calculate the minimum theoretical
number of trays and the distillation efficiency using two different methods.
The initial ethyl alcohol content is 30%, and after distillation, the alcohol content
in the bottom product is approximately 2%, while the alcohol content in the top
product is approximately 73%. Together these results provide important insights
into: the primary component in the bottom product is heavy compounds (water),
whereas the primary component in the top product is light compounds (ethyl
alcohol).
V. Conclusion

The efficiency results obtained from the two methods exhibit differences.
However, data obtained through the graphical method tends to align more closely
with the actual solution conditions, where the solution is non-ideal. On the other
hand, the Fenske–Underwood method working on ideal conditions and solutions.

I. Introduction
The concentration of the two components varies with the height of the column,
leading to corresponding changes in the boiling point. The heat exchange and
component exchange occur across multiple plate until reaching the top, where the
product with a higher concentration of easily evaporating components is obtained,
while at the bottom, the concentration of less volatile components remains high.
Distillation is the process of separating a liquid mixture (which could evaporate)
based on the differing vaporization rates of each component in the mixture. To
determine the solute concentration on each theoretical plates, the theoretical plates
number must be established based on the boiling temperature at each plates. The
theoretical plates (or degree of concentration change) represent a volume range
between two cross-sectional planes within the apparatus, where the solute
concentration leaving the volume equals the equilibrium solute concentration
entering the volume. Since the actual plates count is always higher than the
theoretical plate count, determining the theoretical plates number allows for
adjusting the actual plates count. The operating mode of the equipment is total
reflux mode (with a product distillate of 0).
The purpose of this experiment is to become familiar with the operation and
construction of a distillation system, understand how to handle data, calculate the
minimum theoretical number of trays (for total reflux), and determine equipment
efficiency. By determining the minimum theoretical number of trays, one can
select appropriate reflux ratios or operating conditions to achieve the desired
efficiency.
Distillation towers are commonly used in oil refining, oxygen and nitrogen
production, organic compound synthesis, and alcohol production.