SIEVE-PLATE DISTILLATION COLUMN

AIM: To calculate the overall efficiency in a sieve plate distillation

column.
APPARATUS:
Distillation Column with reboiler
Two fluids with different boiling point (i.e. Isopropanol and nisopropanol)
Beaker
PROCEDURE:
1. Fill the distillation column with the two fluids- Propan-1-ol
and Propan-2-ol
2. Switch on the heater and set the temperature to around 135 C
3. Allow the system to reach steady state
4. 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
Distillate R.I

C
=

C
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.