Term Project

Separation of Alcohols

Due April ${26}^{th}$

I strongly suggest that you start early on this assignment! You may perform the work in a team of

two members or individually.

You have a process which produces the following stream:

$2000$ gallons per minute of liquid alcohols at $50F$ and $20$ psia.

Composition: $5\%$ methanol, $55\%$ ethanol, $25\%$ propanol, $10\%$ butanol, $5\%$ pentanol $($all volume

percentages under Standard Temperature and Pressure $($STP$)$

You would like to design a distillation process that yields the following product streams

Crude methanol: must have less than $5\%$ heavier alcohols $($STP$)$

Fuel grade Ethanol: must have less than $1\%$ methanol and less than $3\%$ propanol and heavier

alcohols $($STP$)$

Crude Propanol: must have less than $5\%$ lighter alcohols and less than $10\%$ heavier alcohols

$($STP$)$

Mixed Alcohols: must have less than $5\%$ ethanol or lighter alcohols $($STP$)$

Specifications:

Separation should be accomplished in less than $6$ columns.

Reflux ratios should be under $5.$

You may use any configuration you wish as long as the product specs are met. $($Notice:

determine the number of possible sequences first, then narrow it to the most desirable one$($s$)$

Use AspenPlus to simulate the columns.

Deliverables:

A report in pdf$-$format that includes the following:

A two$-$page maximum memorandum comprising:

a$.$ Title block: date, name$($s$),$ subject of the memo

b$.$ Problem statement

c$.$ Brief description of the approach

d$.$ For each column in a tabulated format: # of stages, feed stage location, reflux ratio

e$.$ Brief discussion of pinch points, mislocated feeds, and excessive reflux

Appendix A

a$.$ Process flow diagram $($PFD$)$ in a standard project drawing $($see associated Power point

presentation for details$).$

b$.$ An $x-y$ diagram column profiles $($compositions$,T,$ and $P),$ and separation parameter for each

column.

Appendix B

a$.$ Everything else performed in the work should be combined into this section. Submit your

report in PDF$,$ including simulation files, via Blackboard. Do not include results for shortcut

columns.