THIELE-GEDDES METHOD

Prof. K. V. Rao

Programme Director Petroleum Courses JNTUK

THIELE-GEDDES METHOD

T. G. method is a simulation method to predict Product distribution for a given multi-component Distillation column.

Figure1: Configuration of a conventional distillation column with liquid and vapor streams including product streams for the programs

1. Specify the following variables

i. Number of components in the liquid mixture for separation, nc ii. Feed rate, F: composition of each component, xi,F , saturated liquid feed Q=1 iii. Product recovery, D/F or B/F; iv. Number of stages in rectifying section, nr and in stripping section ns. Feed plate location, nt= ns+nr+2 v. Reflux ratio, R. The reflux is assumed to be saturated liquid. vi. Liquid and vapor flow rates in the rectifying and stripping section are assumed (RL and RV in rectifying section, RL=D*R; RV=L+D; SL & SV in SL=RL+Q*F ; SV= RV-(1-Q) *F ) vii. Type of condenser :total viii. Top pressure of the column and allowable pressure drop per plate, ix. K values as function of T for all the components at the given pressure

2. Assume a linear temperature and pressure profile of the column. i. Calculate bubble point and dew point temperature for the assumed compositions of the bottom and top product. The temperatures may be taken as the initial bottom temperature (Reboiler temperature or Nth plate temperature) and top temperatures. Alternatively, if the key components are significant (Heavy key in the bottom product and light key component in the top product),the boiling temperatures of these components at the given pressure may be taken as the initial bottom (Tbott) and top temperature(Ttop). ii.
iii.

Calculate T T= (Tbot-Ttop) /(np-1)

Calculate each plate temperature in the column, Tj = Tj-1+T (j=2,np)

iv.

Calculate the pressure of each plate for given condenser pressure, top plate pressure and P Pj = Pj-1 +P (j=2,np)

3. Calculate the values of equilibrium constant, Ki,j for each component on each plate.(If Ki is function of both temperature and pressure, then correlation for each component may be used) Ki,j = exp[ Ai Bi / (Tj + Cj) ] /Pj (j=1,np ; i=1,nc)

4. Initialize the ratios of the compositions yi,1/xi,D and yi,N/xi,B

(i) yi,1 / xi,D = 1

(ii) yi,N/ xi,B = Ki,N

( i=1,nc)
( i=1,nc)

5. Calculate the values of the ratios of the components for each plate in the rectifying section. (i) xi,j /xi,D = (yi,j /xi,D) / Ki,j nc) ( j=1,nr ; I=1, nc) (j=1,nr ; i=1to

(ii) yi,j+1 / xi,D = (RL* (xi,j / xi,D) + D) / RV

6. Calculate the ratios of compositions, xi,j / xi,B and yi,j / xi,B for each component on each plate in the stripping section.
(i) xi,(np-j) / xi,B = (SV* yi,(np-j+1) / xi,B + B) /SL i=1,nc) (j= 1,ns+1;

(ii) yi,(np-j) /xi,B = Ki,(np-j) * xi,(np-j) / xi,B (j= 1,ns+1 ; i=1,nc)

7. Calculation of the ratio compositions, (xi,B /xi,D) xi,B/xi,D = (yi,NF / xi,D ) /( yi,NF / xi,B) (i=1,nc)

8. Calculate the top product composition xi,D from the overall component balance of the column and then xi,B. xi,D = F.xi,F / (D+B (xi,B / xi,D)), xi,B = (xi,B / xi,D) xi,D 9. Normalize the product compositions, xi,D and xi,B xi,D,cal=xi,D / xi,D xi,B,cal = xi,B / xi,B

10. Obtain the liquid compositions of all the components on each plate .

(i) Rectifying section

xi,j = (xi,j /xi,D) xi,d,cal (ii) Stripping section xi,np-j = (xi, np-j /xi,B) xi,B,cal (j=1,ns+1; i=1,nc) (j=1,nr ; i=1,nc)

11. Normalization of the liquid compositions on each plate in the column xi,j / xi,j (j=1,np; i=1,nc)

12. Correct the temperature profile using bubble method. i. ii. iii. iv. v. Ki,j = exp[ Ai Bi / (Tj + Cj) ] /Pj (j=1,np ; i=1,nc)

Calculate the yi,j =Ki,j* xi,j (j=1,np; i=1,nc) Calculate sum of yij (j=1,np; i=1,nc) F = sumy-1 If Absolute value of F is less than a error tolerance of 10-4 or 10-6, T[j] is corrected by using Newtons method. T[j] = T[j] F/DF. Where DF is derivative of F in Temperature.

vi.

vii. Then the calculation is repeated from (i) to (vi) until the condition in (v) is satisfied.

13. Change the iteration number. iter =iter+1; 14. Repeat the calculations from the step3. No convergence procedure used except for 20 iterations. After convergence plate compositions and temperature are obtained along with the values of xi,D and xi,B . Should it be necessary to study the effect of variables like reflux ratio, feed plate, feed composition, product profile one variable at a time may be changed and the results may be obtained. Thus, several simulations will lead to decide upon the best possible separation.