Experiment 1

SIEVE-PLATE DISTILLATION COLUMN

Shrankhla Narya
09001038
AIM: To find the number of theoretical stages in a Sieve Plate Distillation and
calculate the overall efficiency in a sieve plate distillation column.

APPARATUS:

Distillation Column with reboiler

Automatic digital Refractometer
Two fluids with different boiling point (i.e. Isopropanol and n-isopropanol)
Beaker

PROCEDURE:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Fill the distillation column with the two fluids- Propan-1-ol and Propan-2-ol
Switch on the heater and set the temperature to around 135 C
Allow the system to reach steady state
Collect a few drops of distillate in a beaker and measure its refractive index
using refractometer
5. Collect a few drops of residue in a beaker and measure its refractive index
using refractometer
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 every 15 minutes

THEORY:
Distillation is a method of separating the components of a solution which depends
upon the distribution of the substances between a gas and a liquid phase. It is
called as the workhorse of chemical industries.
The basic requirement for separation is that the vapor phase composition has to
be different from that of the composition of the liquid phase. Distillation mainly
involves vapor liquid equilibrium. Vapors are formed in a reboiler and rise in the
column. Feed is supplied in the middle, separating the column in
enriching/rectifying section and stripping/exhausting section.
The vapor is condensed at the top and is converted into liquid. The purpose of
distillation is to get more volatile component at the top and less volatile
component at the bottom. An intimate contact between the liquid and vapor
phase occurs on a tray, facilitating rapid exchange of mass between them.
Transport of more volatile component occurs from liquid to vapor phase while
transport of less volatile component occurs from vapor to liquid phase. Thus,

distillation column involves counter-diffusion of components (not necessarily

equimolar).
A typical distillation column looks like this:

1. Enriching Section:
Vapor rising in the section above the feed is washed with the liquid that is
being recycled. The liquid coming from the condenser is leaner, less volatile
as compared to the vapor rising. This causes mass transfer of less volatile
component from the vapor to the liquid phase and vapor phase becomes
richer in more volatile component.

2. Stripping Section:
In the section below the feed, the liquid is being stripped off of more
volatile component by the vapor produced at the bottom. Liquid (coming
from feed + condenser) has more volatile component and hence is stripped
off by the vapor. Thus liquid now will contain less volatile component in
more quantity.

3. Feed Entry:

Generally, it is the feed entry point that divides the column into rectifying
section and stripping section. Feed should be introduced at a plate where
operating line for enriching section cuts the operating line of the stripping

section because this results in a minimum number of trays. Feed should be

added at a point where its addition does not make large changes in the
concentration. It should be added at a point where streams concentration
matches with the feed concentration.

4. Reflux:

After the vapor from top section is condensed, some of it is sent back to the
column and the rest is obtained a distillate. Reflux is the most important
variable that is responsible for the high purity of the product. Without
reflux, there will be no enrichment of vapor for top section and of liquid for
bottom section. More the reflux more is the purity of the distillate obtained.

5. Reflux Ratio:

Reflux ratio is the ratio of the amount of the condensed vapor which is
recycled back to the column to the amount of distillate withdrawn. The
reflux ratio decides how far or close the operating line is from the
equilibrium curve. As the reflux ratio increases, the operating line moves
away from the equilibrium curve and number of stages decreases.
Total Reflux Ratio:
At total reflux, minimum number of trays is required. This happens when
the entire condensate is recycled back to the column, the complete
liquid is reboiled (no product withdrawn) and the feed is completely
stopped. Minimum number of stages results when the operating line is at
45 diagonal line. Reflux ratio is infinite. Distillate obtained is pure more
volatile component and residue is pure less volatile component.

The total number of stages in case of total reflux can be calculated as under:
1. Plot the equilibrium data on a y vs. x graph and draw a 45 diagonal line.
2. Mark distillate and residue points on that curve.
3. Starting from distillate point, move vertically and cut the equilibrium curve,
then move horizontally to cut the diagonal line.
4. Repeat step 3 until you reach the residue point. If the line at the end
coincides with the residue point, then number of stages is equal to the
number of steps plus one (for reboiler).
5. If line and residue point do not coincide, then does not match with the
residue point, then calculate the fraction at the end. Rest is same as step 4.

OBSERVATIONS:
Temp of oil tank
Temp of condensate

C
=

Distillate R.I

Residue R.I

Refractive Index of Distillate

Refractive Index of Residue

Experimental number of stages

CALCULATION:
Number of stages from graph
Actual number of stages = 3 + 1 = 4

(+1 for reboiler)

Experimental number of stages =

Overall Efficiency =

Experimental number of stages

Actual number of stages

RESULT:
Number of stages from the graph obtained are ____ and plate efficiency is ______.

CONCLUSION:
The efficiency of the column is high and is equal to 0.8. The overall efficiency of a
single plate in a distilling column is defined as the ratio of the actual change in
the composition of the liquid between plate n and plate n +1to the change that
should occur if there were perfect equilibrium between the rising vapor and the
liquid on the plate and if the rising vapor carried no entrained liquid. In general,
neither of these ideal conditions is realized in practice. The typical value of plate
efficiency is 0.5-0.7. So we can say that contact between liquid and vapor on the
plate is good. The efficiency received is higher in our case basically because our
assumption rising vapor carried no entrained liquid did not follow.