Pure ethanol is also known as absolute alcohol. To qualify as "absolute," the ethanol must contain no more than one percent water, or in other words, absolute alcohol is liquid alcohol that is at least 99% pure alcohol by weight. Pure ethanol can be produced from industrial alcohol (a mixture of ethanol and water) via a process known as azeotropic distillation where a third component is introduced (called an 'entrainer') such as benzene. The industrial alcohol is fed to an intermediate level of a distillation column. Benzene-rich stream is also fed to the column, commonly known as 'reflux'. The vapour stream (overhead product) leaves the top of the column is a three-component mixture (azeotropic mixture), consisting of benzene, ethanol and water while, the liquid product leaves the bottom column as pure ethanol. The overhead vapour product passes through a condenser and is completely condensed to liquid. However, this liquid is actually having two separate immiscible phases, which are then separated in a decanter into an upper layer (benzene-rich) where this stream is then mixed with pure benzene as make-up for losses. This mixture is fed to the top of column, as above mentioned. The lower layer, rich in ethanol and water is sent to another unit for benzene recovery. Table 1 shows the component weight analysis for each stream. Component Feed Ethanol (E) Water (W) Benzene (B) 95.0 5.0 Table 1: Analysis of % w/w Bottoms Overhead Upper product Layer 100.0 16.3 vapour 18.5 7.5 74 2.7 81.0 Lower Make-up layer 39.8 54.3 5.9 100.00 With the aid of a completely-labelled flowchart, for a feed rate to the process of 1200 kg/h, determine the production rate of absolute alcohol (kg/h), percentage recovery of ethanol from feed as pure alcohol, flow rate (kg/h) of make-up benzene (pure benzene) and flow rates of upper and lower layers in the decanter (kg/h).

Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
8th Edition
ISBN:9781259696527
Author:J.M. Smith Termodinamica en ingenieria quimica, Hendrick C Van Ness, Michael Abbott, Mark Swihart
Publisher:J.M. Smith Termodinamica en ingenieria quimica, Hendrick C Van Ness, Michael Abbott, Mark Swihart
Chapter1: Introduction
Section: Chapter Questions
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Pure ethanol is also known as absolute alcohol. To qualify as "absolute," the ethanol must
contain no more than one percent water, or in other words, absolute alcohol is liquid alcohol
that is at least 99% pure alcohol by weight. Pure ethanol can be produced from industrial
alcohol (a mixture of ethanol and water) via a process known as azeotropic distillation where
a third component is introduced (called an 'entrainer') such as benzene.
The industrial alcohol is fed to an intermediate level of a distillation column. Benzene-rich
stream is also fed to the column, commonly known as 'reflux'. The vapour stream (overhead
product) leaves the top of the column is a three-component mixture (azeotropic mixture),
consisting of benzene, ethanol and water while, the liquid product leaves the bottom column
as pure ethanol. The overhead vapour product passes through a condenser and is
completely condensed to liquid. However, this liquid is actually having two separate
immiscible phases, which are then separated in a decanter into an upper layer (benzene-rich)
where this stream is then mixed with pure benzene as make-up for losses. This mixture is
fed to the top of column, as above mentioned. The lower layer, rich in ethanol and water is
sent to another unit for benzene recovery. Table 1 shows the component weight analysis for
each stream.
Table 1: Analysis of % w/w
Upper
Layer
Component
Lower Make-up
Feed Bottoms
product
Overhead
vapour
layer
Ethanol (E)
Water (W)
Benzene (B)
95.0
100.0
18.5
16.3
39.8
5.0
7.5
2.7
54.3
74
81.0
5.9
100.00
With the aid of a completely-labelled flowchart, for a feed rate to the process of 1200 kg/h,
determine the production rate of absolute alcohol (kg/h), percentage recovery of ethanol
from feed as pure alcohol, flow rate (kg/h) of make-up benzene (pure benzene) and flow
rates of upper and lower layers in the decanter (kg/h).
Transcribed Image Text:Pure ethanol is also known as absolute alcohol. To qualify as "absolute," the ethanol must contain no more than one percent water, or in other words, absolute alcohol is liquid alcohol that is at least 99% pure alcohol by weight. Pure ethanol can be produced from industrial alcohol (a mixture of ethanol and water) via a process known as azeotropic distillation where a third component is introduced (called an 'entrainer') such as benzene. The industrial alcohol is fed to an intermediate level of a distillation column. Benzene-rich stream is also fed to the column, commonly known as 'reflux'. The vapour stream (overhead product) leaves the top of the column is a three-component mixture (azeotropic mixture), consisting of benzene, ethanol and water while, the liquid product leaves the bottom column as pure ethanol. The overhead vapour product passes through a condenser and is completely condensed to liquid. However, this liquid is actually having two separate immiscible phases, which are then separated in a decanter into an upper layer (benzene-rich) where this stream is then mixed with pure benzene as make-up for losses. This mixture is fed to the top of column, as above mentioned. The lower layer, rich in ethanol and water is sent to another unit for benzene recovery. Table 1 shows the component weight analysis for each stream. Table 1: Analysis of % w/w Upper Layer Component Lower Make-up Feed Bottoms product Overhead vapour layer Ethanol (E) Water (W) Benzene (B) 95.0 100.0 18.5 16.3 39.8 5.0 7.5 2.7 54.3 74 81.0 5.9 100.00 With the aid of a completely-labelled flowchart, for a feed rate to the process of 1200 kg/h, determine the production rate of absolute alcohol (kg/h), percentage recovery of ethanol from feed as pure alcohol, flow rate (kg/h) of make-up benzene (pure benzene) and flow rates of upper and lower layers in the decanter (kg/h).
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