Molecular Diffusion: When diffusion results from the random movement of molecules, it is
called molecular diffusion. Eddy Diffusion: When the movement of molecules occurs with
the help of an external force, then it is called eddy or turbulent diffusion. Types of gas
absorption: 1. Physical absorption: It is a purely physical phenomenon. Example:
Absorption of ammonia from ammonia- air mixture by water 2. Absorption accompanied
by a chemical reaction. Example: Absorption of NO2 in water to produce nitric acid.
Volatility: It is the ratio of partial pressure of a component to its mole fraction in the liquid
phase. Volatility of A = pA / xA Different types of packings: 1) Raschig rings. 2) Pall
rings. 3) Hy-pak. 4) Berl saddles. Moisture content on wet basis: It is the ratio of weight
of moisture to the weight of wet feed material. Moisture content on dry basis: It is the ratio
of weight of moisture to the weight of dry solids in wet feed material. Selectivity: The ratio
of concentration ratio of solute to feed solvent in extract phase to that in raffinate phase.
Supersaturation: It is the quantity of solute present in the solution in which crystals are
growing compared with the quantity of the solute that is in equilibrium with the solution.
Derivation of Equation of flux for steady state equimolar counter diffusion for gases:
Situations where liquid- liquid extraction is preferred 1. Whenever very large amounts of
latent heats are required 2. Whenever we are dealing with substances which are heat sensitive
3. Whenever we are dealing with liquid mixture forming azeotrope or close boiling mixture.
Selection criteria for solvent in gas absorption : 1) Gas solubility : the solubility of solute
gas in a solvent should be high . the solvent selected should have a high solubility for the
solute to be absorbed 2) Volatility : As the gas leaving an absorption unit is generally
saturated with the solvent, there will be a loss of the solvent with the gas leaving the unit
operation, hence to minimize the solvent loss , the solvent should be less volatile. 3)
Corrosive nature : the solvent should not be corrosive towards common materials of
construction so that the construction material for an absorption equipment will not be too
expensive. 4) Viscosity : the solvent should have a low viscosity for rapid absorption rates,
low pumping cost and better heat transfer. The solvent should be non viscous. Purpose of
drying operation in industry 1. For reducing the transportation cost. 2. For purifying a
crystalline product so that the solvent adhering to the crystal is removed. 3. To meet the
market specification of solid product. 4. For making the material more suitable for handling,
storage and shipping. 5. For providing definite properties to the materials.
Triangular diagram:
In liquid liquid extraction when the solvent is
partially miscible with the original solvent ,
the solubility and equilibrium relations are
often shown on a triangular diagram. The
composition of ternary system can be shown
by a point lying inside an equilateral triangle.
Consider a system C (acetone).A (water),B
(methyl isobutyl ketone) at 250C wherein
acetone is solute , water is diluents and MIK
is solvent for extracting the solute. Apex C in
the triangle ABC represent 100% acetone and
apex Aand B represent 100% water and 100% MIK [Link] line BC,concentration
of Ais zero and the same is true for B and C along AC and AB. The ternary system
represented by point P consist of three components C,A,B in the ratio of perpendiculars PL,PJ
and PK [Link] distances AD and BE represent the solubility of solvent B in A and A
in B. The curve the line ERF indicates composition of saturated MIK layer and the curve line
DQF represent the composition of saturated water layer. The area under binodal solubility
curve represented by the curve line DQFRE represent a two phase region that will splitup into
two layers in equilibrium with each [Link] point F on the curve represents a single phase
which does not split into two phases and corresponds to tie line of zero length and is known
as plate point.
Describe azeotropie distillation in brief. An azeotrope is a mixture of two or more liquids
whose proportions cannot be altered by simple distillation. This happens because, when an
azeotrope is boiled, the vapor has the same proportions of constituents as the unboiled
mixture. An azeotrope is a liquid mixture with an equilibrium vapour of same composition as
the liquid. The dew point and bubble point are identical at azeotropic composition and
mixture vaporizes at single temperature, so azeotropes are called constant boiling mixture.
Azeotrope cannot be separated by distillation because the dew point and bubble point are
identical. Complete separation of constituents of binary azeotrope can be done by 1. Adding
third component to the binary mixture and 2. Changing the system pressure. The third
component added to a binary azeotrope usually forms a low boiling azeotrope with one of the
feed constituents and withdrawn as distillate. The third component added is called as
entrainer or azeotrope breaker. The process of distillation where the third component is added
to the binary azetrope to effect the complete separation is called azeotropic distillation
Swenson-walker Crystallizer:
Construction: It consists of a long open
rectangular trough with a semi cylindrical
bottom that is u shaped trough,of width 0.6m
and length 3-6m. The trough is jacketed
externally for circulating the coolant during
operation. A spiral agitator rotating at about
7 rpm is incorporated in the trough in such a
way that it is as close to the bottom of the
trough as possible. It helps to transport crystals from one point to another point and doesn’t
allow crystals to settle at the bottom. At one end of the crystallizer an inlet foe hot solution
[Link] at the other end, an over flow gate for the crystals and mother liquor discharge
is provided, The function of spiral agitator include to scrap crystal, to lift and shower the
crystal of uniform size, and to convey crystal from one end to the other end of equipment.
Rotary drum Dryer: A rotary vacuum filter consists of a large
rotating drum covered by a cloth. The drum is suspended on an
axial over a trough containing liquid/solids slurry with
approximately 50-80% of the screen area immersed in the slurry.
Working: As the drum rotates into and out of the trough, the slurry
is sucked on the surface of the cloth and rotated out of the
liquid/solids suspension as a cake. When the cake is rotating out, it
is dewatered in the dying zone. The cake is dry because the vacuum
drum is continuously sucking the cake and taking the water out of
it. At the final step of the separation, the cake is discharged as
solids products and the drum rotates continuously to another
separation cycle.
A rectification column is fed with 100 kmol/h of a mixture containing 50 mole % hexane
and 50 mole % octane at….
A feed containing 60 mole% hexane and 40 mole % octane is fed to a pipe still through a
pressure reducing valve into a flash separator….
The point of intersection of the operating line with the diagonal is (0.6,0.6). Draw the
equilibrium curve and draw the operating line with the slope to -1 passing through (0.6,0.6)
on the diagonal. It intersects the equilibrium curve at P which gives us the equilibrium liquid
and vapour compositions as 0.41 and 0.79 mole fraction hexane respectively. liquid
compositions = 41% hexane vapour compositions = 79% hexane