QUESTION
1. A Solution 70% Oil, 25% Usable by Product and 5% impurity, enter a refinery. One Output
is 92% Oil and 6% Usable by product. The Other Output is 60% oil and flow
a) What is the flow rate of the input?
b) Percent Composition of the 1000L/h output?
c) What percent of the original impurity are in the 1000L/h output?
ANSWERS
Given Data:
➢ Input solution composition:
• 70% Oil
• 25% Usable by-product
• 5% Impurities
➢ Output 1:
• 92% Oil
• 6% Usable by-product
• Remaining 2% presumably impurities.
➢ Output 2:
• 60% Oil
• (Unknown percentages for usable by-product and impurities)
• Output flow rate = 1000 L/h
Step 1: Material Balance Equations
Let:
• F = total flow rate of input (L/h)
• Xo = 70%, Xu=25% usable by-product, Xi=5% impurities in the input.
For output streams:
➢ Output 1 flow rate = F1
• Oil fraction = 0.92
• Usable by-product fraction = 0.06
• Impurity fraction = 0.02
➢ Output 2 flow rate = 1000 L/h (given)
• Oil fraction = 0.60
1. Total Material Balance:
The sum of the flow rates of Output 1 and Output 2 must equal the flow rate of the input.
F = F1 + 1000
2. Oil Component Balance:
For the oil, we can write a mass balance equation based on the given percentages:
F × 0.70 = F1 × 0.92 + 1000 × 0.60
3. Usable By-product Balance:
Similarly, for the usable by-product:
F × 0.25 = F1 × 0.06 + 1000 × Xu2
(Here, Xu2 is the fraction of usable by-product in the second output, which we need to
determine.)
4. Impurity Balance:
For the impurities, the mass balance is:
F × 0.05 = F1 × 0.02 + 1000 × Xi2
Step 2: Solve for Flow Rates and Compositions
Solve for F1 (Output 1 flow rate):
Using the oil balance equation:
F × 0.70 = F1 × 0.92 + 1000 × 0.60
0.70F = 0.92F1 + 600
Also, from the total material balance:
F = F1 + 1000
Substitute F1 = F−1000 into the oil balance equation:
0.70F = 0.92 (F−1000) + 600
0.70F = 0.92F – 920 + 600
0.70F = 0.92F – 320
0.22F = 320
320
F = 0.22 = 1454.55 L/h
Thus, the input flow rate is F=1454.55 L/h
Now, calculate F1:
F1 = F − 1000 = 1454.55 – 1000 = 454.55 L/h
Step 3: Percent Composition of the 1000 L/h Output
For the 1000 L/h output stream, we already know that 60% is oil. We now need to calculate
the fractions of usable by-product and impurities.
Usable by-product balance:
From the usable by-product balance equation:
F × 0.25 = F1 × 0.06 + 1000 × Xu2
Substitute the known values:
1454.55 × 0.25 = 454.55 × 0.06 + 1000 × Xu2
363.64 = 27.27 + 1000 × xu2
1000 × Xu2 = 363.64 − 27.27 = 336.37
336.37
Xu2 = = 0.336%
1000
Thus, 33.6% of the 1000 L/h output is usable by-product.
Impurity balance:
For the impurities:
F × 0.05 = F1 × 0.02 + 1000 × Xi2
Substitute the known values:
1454.55 × 0.05 = 454.55 × 0.02 + 1000 × Xi2
72.73 = 9.09 + 1000 × Xi2
1000 × xi2 = 72.73 − 9.09 = 63.64
63.64
xi2 = = 0.0636
1000
Thus, 6.36% of the 1000 L/h output is impurities.
Step 4: What Percent of the Original Impurity is in the 1000 L/h Output?
The original impurity flow rate is:
F × 0.05 = 1454.55 × 0.05 = 72.73 L/h
The impurity in the 1000 L/h output is:
1000 × 0.0636 = 63.64 L/h
Therefore, the percentage of the original impurity in the 1000 L/h output is:
63.64
× 100 = 87.5%
72.73