Multicomponent Distillation: Principles and Applications

This lecture covers the fundamentals of multicomponent distillation, a crucial process in the petrochemical industry. The instructor begins by explaining the significance of distillation in separating various components from crude oil, highlighting the different fractions obtained based on their boiling points. The discussion includes key concepts such as light keys and heavy keys, which are essential for understanding component separation. The instructor introduces the Gilliland correlation for estimating the minimum number of stages required in a distillation column, emphasizing the importance of reflux ratios. Several practice problems are presented to illustrate the application of these concepts, including identifying light keys among given components. The lecture also addresses the concept of fractional recovery, explaining how to calculate the amount of a component collected in the distillate versus the feed. Finally, the instructor introduces Fenske's equation, which relates the number of stages to the relative volatility of components, providing a comprehensive overview of the principles governing multicomponent distillation.