Acetone is getting increasing importance as a valuable bulk chemical for a variety of commercial and industrial applications with a market volume of 3 million tons/per year. It is produced by distillation from acetic acid. Typical composition before entering the distillation column can be given roughly as fnllnws: This mixture available at 25C, is to be distilled at the rate of kmol/h to produce 99.5% pure components. Your engineering group is responsible for the design of the distillation columns required for this separation. Your report should include optimum operating conditions, energy requirements, cooling water, and steam needs, proper operating pressures and temperatures in every main and auxiliary equipment, optimum reflux ratios, overhead and bottom product compositions and flow rates, diameter and height of the columns, positions of the feed plates, detailed design of the column and the plates