CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BOARD EXAM REVIEWER SEPTEMBER 2, 2023
SET 1 - SAMPLE QUESTIONS
DISTILLATION
Compiled by: Engr. Albert D.C. Evangelista
MULTIPLE CHOICES:
1. Which of the following statements is incorrect?
(A) Plate efficiency is a function of the mass transfer between liquid and vapor.
(B) In distillation, overhead product contains any number of components.
(C) Azeotropic distillation is employed to separate constant boiling mixture.
(D) The reflux ratio at total reflux is zero.
2. This describes the possible number of degrees of freedom (F) in a closed system at
equilibrium, in terms of the number of separate phases (P) and the number of chemical
components (C) in the system
(A) Dalton’s Law (C) Phase Rule
(B) Trouton’s Rule (D) Raoult’s Law
3. A mixture of pure benzene and toluene is sampled and found to have a boiling point of 84 0C
at 760 mmHg. The vapor pressure of pure benzene at this temperature is 852 mmHg and of
pure toluene 333 mmHg. Calculate the weight percent of benzene in this mixture.
(A) 82.27 (C) 68.71
(B) 79.73 (D) 86.17
4. A solution is prepared at 20 0C containing 9.2% by wt benzene in non-volatile oil (MW =
422). Vapor pressure of benzene at 20 0C is 75 mmHg. What is the equilibrium pressure of
benzene vapor above the solution?
(A) 26.56 mmHg (C) 75 mmHg
(B) 65.62 mmHg (D) 35.26 mmHg
5. A trayed stripper is designed to separate a binary mixture of propylene oxide (PO) and
acetone. Assume that the average relative volatility for PO relative to acetone is 2.03. The
liquid feed contains 11.7 mole% PO. The maximum concentration (mole fraction) of PO in
the overhead vapor is most nearly:
(A) 0.058 (C) 0.212
(B) 0.192 (D) 0.238
6. If a layer of liquid water (A) and an immiscible high boiling component (B) such as
hydrocarbon are boiled, then by phase rule, how many intensive properties must be specified
to determine all other intensive properties?
(A) 0 (C) 2
(B) 1 (D) 3
7. If a layer of liquid water (A) and ethanol are boiled, then by phase rule, how many intensive
properties must be specified to determine all other intensive properties?
(A) 0 (C) 2
(B) 1 (D) 3
8. A mixture of 4 moles of benzene and 6 moles of toluene will boil at approximately
(A) 95 0C (C) 100 0C
0
(B) 215 F (D) 220 0F
9. The distribution coefficient of n-hexane at 10 atm abs and 200 0C is
(A) 2.6 (C) 0.9
(B) 1.4 (D) none of the above
COMPILED BY: ENGR. ALBERT D.C. EVANGELISTA
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BOARD EXAM REVIEWER SEPTEMBER 2, 2023
10. A mixture of butane and pentane. Leaving a tray in a distillation column, i, at equilibrium at
2.96 atm and 40°C. At this pressure and temperature. The experimental values of K for
butane and pentane are 1.2 and 0.38 respectively. What is the fraction of pentane in the vapor
phase?
(A) 0.76 (C) 0.24
(B) 0.91 (D) 0.09
SITUATION FOR PROBLEMS 11-14:
Vapor Pressure Data: ln(P0) = A- B/(C + t) where t in 0C and P
Compound A B C
Acetone 14.3145 2756.22 228.06
Benzene 13.7819 2726.81 217.572
Chloroform 13.7324 2548.74 218.552
Etthanol 16.8958 3795.17 230.918
Nonane 13.9854 3311.19 202.694
Phenol 14.4387 3507.8 175.4
Water 16.3872 3885.7 230.17
11. Which of the following is the most volatile compound?
(A) acetone (C) chloroform
(B) benzene (D) toluene
12. Which of the following is correctly arranged in decreasing volatility?
(A) Chloroform; Ethanol, Benzene, Water, Phenol
(B) Benzene, Ethanol, Water, Phenol, Chloroform
(C) Phenol, Water, Benzene, Ethanol, Chloroform
(D) Chloroform, Phenol, Water, Ethanol, Benzene
13. What is the bubble pressure of the liquid mixture composed of equimolar concentrations of
chloroform, ethanol, nonane, and phenol if the temperature is 25 0C? Assume that Raoult’s
law is applicable.
(A) Less than 100 kPa (C) Between 300 and 500 kPa
(B) Between 100 and 200 kPa (D) Greater than 500 kPa
14. What is the bubble temperature of the liquid mixture composed of equimolar concentrations
of chloroform, ethanol, nonane, and phenol if the pressure is 1 atm.? Assume that Raoult’s
law is applicable.
(A) Less than 100 °C (C) Between 300°C and 500 °C
(B) Between 100°C and 200 °C (D) Greater than 500 °C
15. It is the ratio of vapor mole fraction of a component in the mixture with respect to the liquid
mole fraction of the same component in the mixture.
(A) Equilibrium ratio (C) Vapor pressure
(B) Relative volatility (D) Specific ratio
SITUATION FOR PROBLEMS 16-18:
A liquid mixture containing benzene and toluene is in equilibrium with the vapor phase at a
temperature of 70 0F. Use the following Antoine’s Equation [log P = A – B/(C + t)] constants for
C6H6: A=6.89272, B=1203.531, C=219.888. For C6H5CH3: A=6.95805, B=1346.773,
C=219.693. The composition of the liquid is 40% benzene by mass.
16. What is the mole fraction of benzene in the liquid phase?
(A) 0.38 (C) 0.51
(B) 0.44 (D) 0.62
COMPILED BY: ENGR. ALBERT D.C. EVANGELISTA
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BOARD EXAM REVIEWER SEPTEMBER 2, 2023
17. What is the total pressure in the vapor phase?
(A) 0.061 atm (C) 0.083 atm
(B) 0.072 atm (D) 0.094 atm
18. What is the mole fraction of benzene in the vapor phase?
(A) 0.51 (C) 0.65
(B) 0.58 (D) 0.73
19. Which of the following statements is incorrect?
(A) Relative volatility change appreciably with the change in temperature.
(B) Boiling point diagram is affected by pressure.
(C) As the reflux ratio increases, the slope of the operating line for rectifying section
increases.
(D) Overall efficiency of the distillation column is the ratio of number of ideal plates to actual
plates.
20. 500 moles of a liquid mixture are charged to a distillation unit. This liquid mixture contains
0.25 mole fraction of component A and 0.75 mole fraction of component B. If the mixture is
subjected to a simple batch distillation, what will the liquid composition be after 100 moles
of component A has been removed with the vapors? Assume the relative volatility of
component A with respect to component B to be equal to 3.15.
(A) XA = 0.25 (C) XA = 0.10
(B) XA = 0.15 (D) XA = 0.05
21. A 537 kg solution containing 50% by weight heptane and 50% by weight octane is batch
distilled until only 4.74 lbmoles remain in the pot. If the relative volatility of the mixture is
2.0, what will be the distillate composition in terms of mole fraction heptane?
(A) 0.5327 (C) 0.3889
(B) 0.4673 (D) 0.6398
22. An equimolar mixture of benzene and toluene is subjected to a single batch distillation.
Distillation is discontinued when 60% of the benzene in the feed is distilled. At this instance
the bottoms product when analyzed shows benzene to be 36.4% mole. In the distillate the
mol % of benzene is
(A) 66.6 (C) 58.1
(B) 33.4 (D) 54.7
23. A 500 kg solution containing 50% A (MW = 100) and 50% by weight B (MW = 125) is
batch distilled until 6 lbmoles are distilled. If the relative volatility is 2, what will be the pot
composition in mole fraction A, after distillation?
(A) 0.50 (C) 0.40
(B) 0.45 (D) 0.60
24. Glycerin is steam distilled at 190 0C under 26-in vacuum. A test shows a steam consumption
of 1.0 pound per pound of glycerin distilled. What percent excess steam, referred to that
theoretically needed, is actually used? Vapor pressure of glycerin at 190 0C is 29 mmHg.
(A) 110 (C) 85
(B) 100 (D) 170
25. A totally immiscible liquid system composed of water and an organic liquid boils at 90 0C
when the barometer reads 734 mmHg. The distillate contains 73% by weight of the organic
liquid. What is the molecular weight of the organic liquid?
(A) 112 (C) 132
(B) 123 (D) 100
COMPILED BY: ENGR. ALBERT D.C. EVANGELISTA
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BOARD EXAM REVIEWER SEPTEMBER 2, 2023
26. Which of the following statements is incorrect?
(A) In rectifying section of a continuous distillation column, the vapor is enriched with high
boilers.
(B) Entrainer used in azeotropic distillation should form a low boiling azeotrope with one of
the constituents of the mixture.
(C) In McCabe-Thiele method, at optimum reflux ratio both the operating lines coincide with
the diagram.
(D) For a binary mixture with low relative volatility, continuous rectification to get pure
products will require high reflux ratio.
SITUATION FOR PROBLEMS 27-28:
A liquid containing 50 mole % benzene (A), 25 mole % toluene (B), and 25 mole % 0 – xylene
(C) is differentially distilled at 1 atm and 100 0C, with vaporization of 32.5 mole % of the
charge. Raoult’s law applies.
27. The composition of benzene in the distillate is
(A) xA in D = 0.38 (C) xA in D = 0.45
(B) xA in D = 0.22 (D) Others: _______
28. The composition of toluene in the residue is
(A) XB in W = 0.38 (C) xA in W = 0.45
(B) XB in W = 0.22 (D) Others: _______
SITUATION FOR PROBLEMS 29-30:
A liquid containing 50 mole % benzene (A), 25 mole % toluene (B), and 25 mole % 0 – xylene
(C) is flash vaporized at 1 atm and 100 0C. Raoult’s law applies.
29. The composition of benzene in the distillate is
(A) xA in D = 0.38 (C) xA in D = 0.45
(B) xA in D = 0.22 (D) Others: _______
30. The composition of toluene in the residue is
(A) XB in W = 0.38 (C) xA in W = 0.45
(B) XB in W = 0.22 (D) Others: _______
31. It is defined as the partial pressure of the substance in the vapor phase divided by the mole
fraction of the substance in the liquid.
(A) Relative volatility (C) Volatility
(B) Dew pressure (D) Reduced pressure
SITUATION FOR PROBLEMS 32-33:
A mixture of 100 mol containing 50 mol % n-pentane and 50 mol % n-heptane is distilled under
differential conditions at 101.3 kPa until 40 mol is distilled. The integral of dx/(y-x) is 0.51 from limits
0.277 to 0.50.
32. The composition of the liquid left is about
(A) 0.28 (C) 0.50
(B) 0.21 (D) 0.36
33. The average composition of the total vapor distilled is close to
(A) 0.76 (C) 0.50
(B) 0.84 (D) 0.65
COMPILED BY: ENGR. ALBERT D.C. EVANGELISTA
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BOARD EXAM REVIEWER SEPTEMBER 2, 2023
34. Which of the following statements is incorrect?
(A) For water-ethanol system, the minimum reflux ratio is computed from the slope of the
upper operating line that is tangent to the equilibrium curve.
(B) Alcohol is dehydrated using azeotropic distillation.
(C) To get high tray efficiency interfacial surface between liquid and gas phase should be
small.
(D) Priming in a distillation column is characterized by the presence of foam throughout the
space between trays.
35. A mixture containing 0.53 mole fraction A and 0.47 mole fraction B is subjected to a simple
batch distillation until instantaneous composition of the vapors leaving becomes 0.50 mole
fraction A. If the relative volatility of A with respect to B is 3.2, what is the average
composition of the total distillate collected?
(A) 0.73 (C) 0.87
(B) 0.68 (D) 0.59
36. A liquid mixture containing 50 mole% n-heptane (A), 50 mole% n-octane (B), at 303 K, is to
be continuously flash-vaporized at a pressure of 1 atm to vaporize 60 mole% of the feed.
What will be the composition of the vapor if it behaves as an ideal stage?
(A) 0.58 (C) 0.69
(B) 0.51 (D) 0.87
37. A mixture of 50 mole percent benzene and 50 percent toluene is subjected to flash distillation
at a separator pressure of 1 atm. The incoming liquid is heated to a temperature that will
cause 40 percent of the feed to flash. What are the compositions of the vapor and liquid
leaving the flash chamber?
(A) Y = 0.63 (C) x = 0.51
(B) Y = 0.70 (D) x = 0.34
38. Samples from a distillation column with a kettle reboiler yield the following mole fractions
for one of the components:
Vapor from the bottom tray 0.70
Vapor from the reboiler 0.75
Liquid from the bottom tray 0.90
Bottom product 0.95
The ratio of the liquid flow rate from the bottom tray to the vapor flow rate from the reboiler
is most nearly:
(A) 1.2 (C) 4.0
(B) 1.4 (D) 5.0
[Link] Caltex Refinery distillation column has been designed to separate a mixture containing
50% hexane and 50% pentane by mass. The product stream contains 95% pentane and the
bottoms 96% hexane. The overhead vapor leaving the top of the column is condensed. A
portion of the condensed stream is returned to the column as reflux, and the balance is drawn
off as a product. The reflux ratio, i.e., [mass of reflux/mass of distilled product] is equal to
0.6. Assuming the feed to be saturated liquid, the ratio of feed to condenser over feed to still is
(A) 0.39 (C) 1.63
(B) 0.62 (D) 1.30
40. It is defined as the moles of final distillate returned to the top of the distillation column per
unit time divided by the moles of distillate (drawn) withdrawn as product per unit time.
(A) Reflux ratio (C) Weeping ratio
(B) Turndown ratio (D) Entrainment ratio
COMPILED BY: ENGR. ALBERT D.C. EVANGELISTA
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BOARD EXAM REVIEWER SEPTEMBER 2, 2023
41. Which of the following statements is incorrect?
(A) Rayleigh equation applies to flash distillation.
(B) In case of steam distillation, the steam leaving the liquid is not completely saturated with
distillate vapor, because mixing of steam with the material being vaporized is not so
intimate as to result in equilibrium condition.
(C) Water-alcohol forms an azeotrope at atmospheric pressure.
(D) McCabe-Thiele method of binary distillation assumes that the heat of mixing is
negligible.
42. 1000 kg/hr of a mixture containing 35% wt benzene and 65% wt toluene is fed to a
fractionating column. The distillate contains 60% benzene, the residue 5% benzene. What is
the percent recovery of benzene?
(A) 96.18 (C) 85.62
(B) 80.01 (D) 93.51
43. A distillation column separates a mixture consisting of 8% (by mole) acetone, 61.8% (by
mole) acetic acid, and 30.2% (by mole) acetic anhydride. The column is designed to yield
825 kmol/h of a distillate stream containing 10% (by mole) acetone and 76% (by mole)
acetic acid. The bottoms stream contains no acetone, and the column is operated so that 55%
(by mole) of the overhead is returned as reflux. The mole fraction of acetic acid in the
bottoms stream is most nearly
(A) 0.0019 (C) 0.57
(B) 0.050 (D) 0.60
44. The feed to a binary distillation column is 30 mol% vapor and the balance liquid. The slope
of the q-line with respect to the positive direction of the x-axis on the x-y diagram is closest
to
(A) – 0.43 (C) 0.43
(B) – 2.33 (D) 2.33
45. A benzene-toluene feed (with 40 mole% benzene and 60 mole% toluene) to a distillation
column is at a temperature of 40 0C. The molar specific heat of the feed is 159.2 kJ/kmol.K
respectively. Molar latent heats of vaporization of benzene and toluene are 30813 and
33325kJ/kmol, respectively. The bubble point of the mixture is 95 0C. The slope of the q-line
is closest to
(A) 3.70 (C) 1.27
(B) 4.69 (D) 2.18
46. A feed mixture containing 40 mole % heptane and 60 mole % ethyl benzene is to be
fractionated at 1 atm pressure to produce a distillate containing 97 mole % pentane, and a
residue containing 98% ethyl benzene. If the feed to the column is saturated and the reflux at
its bubble point, and if an actual reflux ratio of 2.5 is used, the theoretical number of stages is
near to
(A) 6 (C) 10
(B) 8 (D) 12
47. The degrees of freedom for the entire distillation column where N = total number of stages
and C = number of components is
(A) C + 2N (C) C + 2N + 5
(B) C + N + 2 (D) C + 2N + 9
48. It is defined as that ratio which if decreased by an infinitesimal amount would require an
infinite number of stages to accomplish a specified separation between two components.
(A) Total reflux ratio (C) Minimum reflux ratio
(B) Internal reflux ratio (D) Optimum Reflux ratio
COMPILED BY: ENGR. ALBERT D.C. EVANGELISTA
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BOARD EXAM REVIEWER SEPTEMBER 2, 2023
49. A feed mixture containing 40 mole % heptane and 60 mole % ethyl benzene is to be
fractionated at 1 atm pressure to produce a distillate containing 97 mole % pentane, and a
residue containing 98% ethyl benzene. If the feed to the column is saturated and the reflux at
its bubble point, the minimum reflux ratio required is near to
(A) 0.53 (C) 1.20
(B) 1.34 (D) 1.73
An equilibrium diagram showing vapor-liquid compositions of heptane at 1 atm pressure for the
system heptane-ethyl benzene is given below:
SITUATION FOR PROBLEMS 50-58:
In a distillation column, it is desired to separate 200 lbmol/hr of a mixture of 40% (mol%) n-
hexane and 60% n-heptane into a top product containing 95% n-hexane and a bottom product
containing 90% n-heptane.
50. What is the mass flow rate of the bottom product?
(A) 10,600 lbm/hr (C) 14,400 lbm/hr
(B) 12,800 lbm/hr (D) 15,900 lbm/hr
51. What is the mass flow rate of the top product?
(A) 1700 lbm/hr (C) 6100 lbm/hr
(B) 3500 lbm/hr (D) 8400 lbm/hr
52. If a reflux ratio of 2:1 is used, what is the flow rate of the reflux stream?
(A) 120 lbmole/hr (C) 290 lbmole/hr
(B) 140 lbmole/hr (D) 330 lbmole/hr
COMPILED BY: ENGR. ALBERT D.C. EVANGELISTA
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BOARD EXAM REVIEWER SEPTEMBER 2, 2023
53. What is the slope of the operating line for the rectifying section?
(A) 0.67 (C) 0.85
(B) 0.76 (D) 0.98
54. What is the y-intercept of the operating line for the rectifying section?
(A) 0.32 (C) 0.58
(B) 0.46 (D) 0.65
55. What is the slope of the operating line for the stripping section?
(A) 10 (C) 12
(B) 11 (D) 13
56. If the feed enters as a saturated liquid, the q-line is
(A) horizontal (C) at an angle of 650 with the x-axis
(B) at an angle of 450 with the x-axis (D) vertical
57. If the feed is 25% vaporized, what is the slope of the q-line?
(A) -5 (C) -3
(B) -4 (D) -2
58. If the feed is a subcooled liquid, what is the value of q?
(A) q = 0 (C) q < 1
(B) q < 0 (D) q > 1
59. It is desired to separate isobutanol and 1,1,2,2 tetrachloroethane in a continuous distillation
column. The column will operate with the following isobutanol mole fractions: feed = 0.60,
distillate = 0.97 and bottoms = 0.04 with a reflux ratio equal to 3. What is the slope of the
operating line in the enriching section?
(A) 1/3 (C) 1/4q
(B) ¾ (D) ½
60. In distillation Column, the amount of distillate collected divided by the amount of vapor
entering the condenser is equal to
(A) R / R-1 (C) 1 / R + 1
(B) 1 / R-1 (D) R / R + 1
61. It is a graphical method for determination of the number of theoretical stages in distillation
of binary mixtures, the mole fraction of the more volatile component plotted as abscissa and
the enthalpy as ordinate.
(A) Rayleigh Equation (C) Mc Cabe – Thiele Method
(B) Fenske Equation (D) Ponchon – Savarit Method
62. A continuous fractionating column is to be designed to separate 30,000 kg/h of a mixture of
40 percent benzene and 60 percent toluene into an overhead product containing 97 percent
benzene and a bottom product containing 98 percent toluene. These percentages are by
weight. A reflux ratio of 3.5 mol to 1 mol of product is to be used. The molal latent heats of
benzene and toluene are 7,630 and, 7,960 cal/g mol, respectively. Benzene and toluene form
a nearly ideal system with a relative volatility of about 2.5. The feed has a boiling point of
950C at a pressure of 1 atm. Calculate the moles of overhead product and bottom product per
hour.
(A) D = 110.3 kgmol/hr (C) D = 135.4 kgmol/hr
(B) B = 182.9 kgmol/hr (D) B = 196.6 kgmol/hr
COMPILED BY: ENGR. ALBERT D.C. EVANGELISTA
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BOARD EXAM REVIEWER SEPTEMBER 2, 2023
SITUATION FOR PROBLEMS 63-70:
The following table shows the specification of the composition of the feed, distillate, and
bottoms of a distillation column (the components are listed in the order of decreasing K-values):
Component Feed( mol%) Distillate (mol%) Bottoms (mol%)
Methane 25 41.74
Ethane 8 13.36
Propane 26 43.11 0.44
n-Butane 18 1.79 42.21
n-Pentane 12 29.92
n-Hexane 11 27.43
100 100 100
63. Based on the above specification, the light key is
(A) Methane (C) Propane
(B) Ethane (D) n-Butane
64. Based on the above specification, the heavy key is
(A) Propane (C) n-Hexane
(B) n-Pentane (D) n-Butane
65. Moles of distillate per 100 moles of feed are
(A) 100 (C) 67.9
(B) 59.9 (D) 20.7
66. Total moles of n-butane in the bottoms per 100 moles of feed are:
(A) 16.9 (C) 8.5
(B) 21.1 (D) l0.5
67. (α LK/HK)av = 1.98. Calculate the minimum number of theoretical stages including the reboiler as
a stage.
(A) 11.34 (C) 5.87
(B) 3.95 (D) 17.95
68. If the specified separation requires 14 theoretical stages, then counting from the top, estimate
the location of the feed tray.
(A) 6 (C) 8
(B) 3 (D) 9
69. The feed to a distillation column has 40% by weight of vapor, balance being liquid. What is the
slope of the q-line with respect to the positive direction of the horizontal axis?
(A) 1.5 (C) - 1.5
(B) 0.67 (D) -0.67
70. Per 100 lbmoles of feed, the following data are available: Feed enthalpy = -4.772x106 Btu/h,
distillate enthalpy = -2.348x 106 Btu/h, bottoms enthalpy = -2.476x106 Btu/h, reflux ratio = 5,
and latent heat of overhead vapor = 5556.5 Btu/lbmol. Estimate the reboiler duty in million
Btu/h per 100 lbmoles of feed.
(A) 1.997 (C) 2.013
(B) 1.945 (D) 2.105
71. The remaining liquid after simple batch distillation is called
(A) Reflux (C) bottoms
(B) Condensate (D) residue
COMPILED BY: ENGR. ALBERT D.C. EVANGELISTA
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BOARD EXAM REVIEWER SEPTEMBER 2, 2023
72. Which of the following statements is incorrect?
(A) If Rm is the minimum reflux ratio, the optimum reflux ratio may be around 1.2 to 1.5
Rm.
(B) Steam distillation is used to avoid thermal decomposition of a component.
(C) For the same feed, feed quality and separation (in a distillation column), with the increase
of total pressure, the number of ideal plates will increase.
(D) Nitrobenzene (boiling point = 210.6°C) is steam distilled at 1 atm pressure. Nitrobenzene
will distill off at 210.6 °C.
73. Which of the following statements is incorrect?
(A) With decrease in the throughput (compared with the design capacity) for a bubble cap
distillation column, its efficiency increases.
(B) The relative volatility of a binary mixture at constant temperature decreases with increase
in the total pressure.
(C) In McCabe-Thiele method, at infinite reflux ratio the overhead product is minimum.
(D) When the mixture to be distilled has a very high boiling point and the product material is
heat sensitive, the separation technique to be used is flash distillation.
SITUATION FOR PROBLEMS 74-80:
A saturated liquid feed containing 45% (by mole) of a chlorinated hydrocarbon (Cl) and 55% (by
mole) of a second chlorinated hydrocarbon (C2) is fractionated at 760 mm Hg to produce 97%
(by mole) Cl and a residue containing 97% (by mole) C2. The reflux ratio is 2.81, and the
relative volatility is 3.2.
74. The slope of the upper operating line is close to
(A) 1.33 (C) 0.26
(B) 0.01 (D) 0.74
75. The composition of the more volatile component in liquid at the pinch point is about
(A) 0.333 (C) 0.455
(B) 0.765 (D) Others
76. Counting from the top of the column, the feed plate that will achieve this separation is
(A) 5 (C) 7
(B) 6 (D) 4
77. The y-intercept of the lower operating line is about
(A) -0.010 (C) -0.327
(B) 0.023 (D) 0.123
78. The number of theoretical stages is about
(A) 9 (C) 7
(B) 10 (D) 8
79. The minimum reflux ratio is about
(A) 2.6 (C) 0.7
(B) 1.5 (D) Others
80. The minimum number of stages is
(A) 5 (C) 4
(B) 6 (D) Others
81. It may be defined as a single unit distillation operation in which vaporization occurs in
repeated steps to give a much greater overall separation than could be obtained by one
simple distillation.
(A) Flash distillation (C) Fractionation
(B) Differential distillation (D) Steam distillation
COMPILED BY: ENGR. ALBERT D.C. EVANGELISTA
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BOARD EXAM REVIEWER SEPTEMBER 2, 2023
82. For open steam process, the lower operating line intersects the abscissa at
(A) x = xB (C) x = xF
(B) x = xD (D) y = 0
83. Which of the following statements is incorrect?
(A) The feed to fractionating column is changed from saturated vapor to saturated liquid. If
the separation and reflux ratio remains unchanged, the number of ideal stages will
increase.
(B) For a distillation column operating at minimum reflux, the number of plates required will
be maximum.
(C) Steam distillation is used for separation of high boiling volatile impurity from still lower
boiling substances.
(D) Reboiler is considered equivalent to one theoretical stage in McCabe Thiele's method.
84. If q = fraction of saturated liquid in the feed, then the slope of the feed line is
(A) 1/q (C) q/(q-1)
(B) q+1 (D) 1
85. A mixture of 45% by weight ethanol and 55% by weight water is distilled at 1 atm to give a
distillate containing 88% by weight ethanol and bottoms containing 5% by weight ethanol.
The feed is introduced as a subcooled liquid at a rate of 500 kg/h. The reflux ratio is 2.5. The
amount of distillate produced is
(A) 412 kg/h (C) 241 kg/h
(B) 124 kg/h (D) 142 kg/h
SITUATION FOR PROBLEMS 86-87:
A trayed tower operating at 1 atm is to be designed to continuously distill 200 kmoles/hour (55.6
moles/s) of a binary mixture of 60 mole% benzene, 40 mole% toluene. A liquid distillate and a
liquid bottoms product of 95 mole% and 5 mole% benzene, respectively, are to be produced.
Before entering the column, the feed originally at 298 K— is flash-vaporized at 1 atm to produce
an equimolal vapor/liquid mixture (VF/F = LF/F = 0.5). A reflux ratio 30% above the minimum is
specified. If the upper operating line touches the intersection of the equilibrium curve and feed
line, it intersects the ordinate at 0.457.
86. The amount of distillate collected in terms of kmoles per hour is approximately equal to
(A) 122.2 (C) 77.8
(B) 108.1 (D) 87.4
87. The minimum reflux ratio is
(A) 0.9 (C) 1.1
(B) 1.9 (D) 1.6
88. It is a partial vaporization process in the presence of a miscible, high-boiling, nonvolatile
mass separation agent, normally called the solvent, which is added to an azeotropic or
nonazeotropic feed mixture to alter the volatilities of the key components without the
formation of any additional azeotropes.
(A) Molecular distillation (C) Azeotropic distillation
(B) Flash distillation (D) Extractive distillation
89. Which of the following statements is incorrect?
(A) Total reflux in a distillation operation requires minimum number of plates.
(B) Flash distillation is suitable for the separation of components having very wide boiling
points.
(C) With decrease in pressure, the relative volatility for a binary system decreases.
(D) In case of an ideal solution, the total vapor pressure varies linearly with the composition
expressed as mole fraction.
COMPILED BY: ENGR. ALBERT D.C. EVANGELISTA
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BOARD EXAM REVIEWER SEPTEMBER 2, 2023
90. At the top of the distillation column, the distillate is divided into distillate and
(A) reflux (C) bottoms
(B) condensate (D) residue
91. As distillation column operating pressure is increased, temperatures in the column
(A) remains constant (C) decrease
(B) becomes unpredictable (D) increase
92. Which of the following statements is incorrect?
(A) The fixed cost of a distillation column at minimum reflux ratio is infinite.
(B) Acetone chloroform system has a lower boiling azeotrope compare to ethyl alcohol water
system.
(C) Separation of two volatile liquids by distillation makes use of their relative volatility.
(D) The minimum number of theoretical plates is required for achieving a given separation in
distillation column with total reflux.
93. It is the section in a distillation column above the feed plate.
(A) reboiler section (C) stripping section
(B) rectifying section (D) reflux section
94. Which of the following statements is incorrect?
(A) The-relative volatility for separation of a nonideal binary mixture by distillation should
be < 1.
(B) In McCabe-Thiele method of theoretical plate calculation for a distillation column, the
operating lines of stripping and rectifying sections coincide with the diagonal at total
reflux.
(C) Fenske-Underwood equation used for calculating the minimum number of theoretical
plates in distillation column is valid for total reflux.
(D) Benzene toluene system has a higher boiling azeotrope compare to ethyl alcohol water
system.
95. The agent that causes the specific azeotropic behavior is often called
(A) entrainer (C) weeper
(B) allotrope (D) siphon
96. As the reflux ratio decreases from the limiting case of total reflux, the intersection of the two
operating lines and the q-line moves away from the 450 line and toward the equilibrium
curve, thus requiring
(A) the same equilibrium stages (C) less equilibrium stages
(B) zero equilibrium stages (D) more equilibrium stages
97. (FE CHE RM – 45.11) A binary chemical mixture is processed in a multistage distillation
column. The liquid flow rate leaving tray 1 in the rectifying section is 1000 kmol/h; the
distillate flow rate is 800 kmol/h with 85 mole% volatile composition. The liquid phase
composition leaving tray 1 is 83 mole %. Most nearly, what is the vapor phase mole fraction
leaving tray 2?
(A) 82% (C) 86%
(B) 84% (D) 88%
98. (FE CHE RM – 45.14) In a 14-tray distillation column, the liquid flow leaving tray 12 in the
stripping section is 1000 kmol/h, the bottoms flow is 200 kmol/h with 1 mole % volatile
composition, and the liquid phase composition leaving tray 12 is 5 mole %. What is the
vapor phase mole fraction leaving tray 13?
(A) 1.5% (C) 5.5%
(B) 3.5% (D) 6.0%
COMPILED BY: ENGR. ALBERT D.C. EVANGELISTA
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BOARD EXAM REVIEWER SEPTEMBER 2, 2023
99. (FE CHE RM – 45.17) A rectifying line with minimum reflux ratio has a y-intercept of
0.456. The distillate composition is 0.995. Most nearly, what is the minimum reflux ratio?
(A) 0.42 (C) 1.2
(B) 0.85 (D) 1.6
100.(FE CHE RM – 45.20) Samples are taken from two adjacent stages of an operating
distillation column. One sample is found to have a vapor phase mole fraction of 0.350, and
the other is found to have a vapor phase mole fraction of 0.325. The equilibrium mole
fraction for the liquid on the upper stage is 0.375. Most nearly, what is the plate efficiency?
(A) 10% (C) 50%
(B) 25% (D) 75%
COMPILED BY: ENGR. ALBERT D.C. EVANGELISTA