MASS BALANCE WITH RECYCLE STREAMS

Milton Ochoa Armijos.

Troubleshooting

Problem 5.1

The process for making benzene is described below and illustrated in Figure 5.12, and you are
to make mass balances of it using Excel. (Hydrocarbon Processing, 1975; 54, p. 115; Otani et al.,
1968.) The process converts toluene to benzene and xylenes by disproportionation (also called
transalkylation). The xylenes also disassociate to form toluene and trimethylbenzene. These
reactions occur with a catalyst in the presence of hydrogen, with a typical ratio of 7:1 hydrogen
to toluene feed to the reactor. The hydrogen also reacts with toluene to form benzene and
methane or with xylenes to form benzene and methane. The molar consumption of hydrogen is
about 10 percent of that of toluene.

The reactions and their conversion per pass are:

The output from the reactor contains all the components, and the hydrogen and toluene are
recycled, the methane is removed from the process, and the benzene and xylenes are removed
from the process. The vapor pressures of the components at 20°C are : benzene, 75 mmHg;
toluene, 22 mmHg; xylenes, 4.8 –6.6 mmHg; trimethylbenzene, 1.1 mmHg. A separation system
is used that removes the hydrogen and methane first, then separates the benzene, then the
toluene, and then the trimethylbenzene. The hydrogen and methane should be somewhat
separated (to recover the hydrogen, which is recycled) and the toluene is recycled. In the
separators, use splits of 99.9 percent of the light component out of the top and only 0.1 percent
of the next heavier component. Use splits of 100 percent for components lighter than the light
key and 0 percent for components heavier than the heavy key. Use Goal Seek or Solver to adjust
the hydrogen makeup feed to insure the proper amount of hydrogen enters the reactor
(necessary for the catalyst).

To complement the process more specifiable developing problem 7.1 based on problem 5.1.

Problem 7.1

Simulate the benzene process (Problem 5.1) using Aspen Plus. Take the feed at room
temperature and 1 atm. Compress it to 35 atm. Preheat the feed to the reactor to 550°C and
cool the effluent. Model the reactors as R-Stoic reactors and keep the hydrogen/methane
separations as simple splitters; model the other separations using distillation towers. You will
have to decide on the number of stages and reflux ratio and using DSTWU first might be useful.

Solution

taking into consideration the different states of stream and the conditions which we must
subject it to physical states so that the conditions are adequate to do this we use a compressor
to the case of gas and a pump for the case of a liquid to take it to reactor conditions which this
is in the following table in the table below.

Mixer 1
Component Stream 3 Stream 4 temperature
TOLUENE 0.000 100.000 25
H2 700.000 0.000 25
METHANE 0.000 0.000 -
BENZENE 0.000 0.000 -
O-XYL-01 0.000 0.000 -
1:2:3-01 0.000 0.000 -
WATER 0.000 0.000 -

shows the conditions to which the power currents enter the mixer because the temperature of
the other compounds is not yet reacted to it is unaware that there is no product formation yet

Condition
REACTOR
Temperature 550 °C
Mole flows
Component Input (kmol/h) Products (kmol/h) Pressure 35 atm
TOLUENE 135.72 56.90
H2 6905.48 6895.00
METHANE 94.19 104.67
 BENZENE 162.87 207.56
O-XYL-01 18.37 52.40
1:2:3-01 0.01 0.11
WATER 0.00 0.00

The operating conditions of the reactor is defined in the next considering the conversions both
toluene and xylene that are the values that we know and the addition of a heat exchanger since
the temperature is high to have the conditions to the who does not ask for condition problem.
considering the depressing pressure falls and the operation of ideal equipment in a steady state

FLASH
Compound Input distillate founds Conditions
TOLUENE 56.90 39.69 17.22 Temperature 50 °C
H2 6895.00 6894.97 0.03 Pressure 5 atm
METHANE 104.67 104.65 0.01
BENZENE 207.56 180.96 26.60
O-XYL-01 52.40 20.41 31.99
1:2:3-01 0.11 0.02 0.09
WATER 0.00 0.00 0.00

for the flash separator you have a temperature setting and pressure as they are shown in the
next table of the stream, for the amount of hydrogen that comes out of the stop in the form of
steam a compressor is used to bring them to the initial conditions of pressure of feed stream.
the current with the other compound benzene, toluene, trimethylbenzene and xylene moves to
the next stage of separation.

RADFRAC Condition
components Input distillate Funds pressure 5 atm
TOLUENE 17.215 0.000 17.215 Stages 27
H2 0.025 0.025 0.000 Feed stage 13
METHANE 0.011 0.011 0.000 Distillate rate 0.48 mole
BENZENE 26.597 0.443 26.154 Reflux ratio 2 mole
O-XYL-01 31.991 0.000 31.991
1:2:3-01 0.090 0.000 0.090
WATER 0.000 0.000 0.000

a DSTWU column was used on a basis to opt for the appropriate conditions shown in the Rad-
Frac condition table. feed conditions must be considered as, the components must be recovered
in different runes to make the process efficient.
 DSTWU
Component Distillate Funds
Minimum reflux ratio 0.32
TOLUENE 17,215 0,000
Actual reflux ratio 0.44
H2 0,000 0,000
Minimum number of
8.84 METHANE 0,000 0,000
stages
BENZENE 26,154 0,000
Number of actual stages 20.00
O-XYL-01 31,351 0,640
Feed stage 11.43
Number of actual stages 1:2:3-01 0,002 0,088
10.43 WATER 0,000 0,000
above feed
Reboiler heating
2427724.77 Btu/hr
required
Condenser cooling
3521308.80 Btu/hr
required
Distillate temperature 103.77 C
Bottom temperature 147.05 C
Distillate to feed fraction 0.99
HETP

for the separation of xylene and trimethylbenzene a simple column was used where you can
play with the operating conditions both in reflux reason and number of stages for this you can
motivate the variables in function to the required. there are no cases where a RadFrac column
should be applied directly.
Flow chart
Problem 5.6

Synthetic ethanol is made by vapor-phase hydration of ethylene, as shown in Figure 5.15. Make
a mass balance of this process using Excel.

C2H4 + H2O ➔ C2H5OH

Water and ethylene are mixed with a recycle stream and sent to a reactor where the reaction in
Eq. (5.20) takes place (5 percent conversion per pass). The ethylene feed is 97 percent ethylene
but also contains acetylene (2.9 percent) and inert gases (0.1 percent). The acetylene reacts with
water, too, forming acetaldehyde (50 percent conversion per pass).

C2H2 + H2O ➔ CH3CHO

The reactor effluent is cooled to remove the liquids (ethanol, acetaldehyde, water). The gases
(ethylene, acetylene, and inert gases) are recycled, but a purge stream is needed to remove the
inert gases. Assume perfect splits. Adjust the fraction purged to keep the ratio of inert gas to
ethylene in the stream fed to the reactor at 0.04, and feed enough water to the process to make
the molar ratio of water to ethylene 0.6 in the stream into the reactor. Separate the liquids into
relatively pure component streams, first removing

60 percent of the water, then the acetaldehyde, then purifying the ethanol to 93 percent by
removing water. (Hint: This problem has two constraints. In Excel you can use Goal Seek or
Solver to satisfy one of them and adjust the other variable yourself, followed by another use of
Goal Seek or Solver. Repeat this process until both constraints are satisfied.)
a more specific process is to add the different equipment that modifies physical properties so
that in this way the process of an efficient with form is carried out to the requirements so that
it complements itself by developing the problem 7.4 shown below

Problem 7.4.

Simulate the ethanol process (Problem 5.6) using Aspen Plus. The feed streams are at 1 atm and
room temperature, but the reactor operates at 960 psia and 5708F. Thus, you must heat the
reactor feed, and after the reaction occurs you must cool the product. The first splitter is a vapor
–liquid separator (you choose the temperature that will separate ethanol from ethylene), and
the remaining splitters are distillation columns. You will have to decide on the number of stages
and reflux ratio; using DSTWU first might be useful.

Solution

Stream conditions
feed temperature Composition
ETHYLENE 20 97
WATER 20 0
ACETY-01 20 2.9
ACETA-01 20 0
CO 20 0.001
ETHANOL 20 0

the conditions shown in Table 1 are the provisions of each of the current feeds but for the
reversion values to be adequate the physical variables of the components must be modified to
do so the temperature the 570°F and 960 psia of pressure must be raised. for this we use a heat
interview that ports us from the enough energy to reach the required conditions and thus have
an ethylene conversion in the reactor. the following table shows the stream values at the output
and input in the reactor considering the fractional values of each of the streams.

REACTOR CONDITIONS
STREAM FEEDS PRODUCTS % temperature 570
ETHYLENE 58.2 55.29 0.05 pressure 760
WATER 100 96.22
ACETY-01 1.74 0.87 0.5
ACETA-01 0 0.87
CO 0.06 0.06
ETHANOL 0 2.91

the reactor output conditions are the following with a conversion percent of 5 percent in this
way the restrictions within the reactor are satisfied.
 Conditions
Separator Pressure 1
RATIO REFLUX 0.2
feed funds distillate
DESTILATE TO FEED
ETHYLENE 55.290 2.851 52.439 0.15
RATIO
WATER 96.220 93.816 2.404
Stages 10
ACETY-01 0.870 0.057 0.813
Feed stag 5
ACETA-01 0.870 0.216 0.654
Conditions
CO 0.060 0.000 0.060
TEMP 130
ETHANOL 2.910 2.331 0.579
pressure 50

within the separator conditions it is necessary to take into account that the pressures at the
outlet of reactor and the temperature must exist a reduction of pressure and temperature so
that the faces of the components are left in liquid phase and can be treated in a flash
separator. in this first separator the recovery of the 99 percent of the ethylene that will pass
Column 1 to the feed stream of the same
Input distillate funds component is required.
ETHYLENE 2.85 2.85 0.00
WATER 93.82 9.44 84.38
ACETY-01 0.06 0.06 0.00
ACETA-01 0.22 0.22 0.00
CO 0.00 0.00 0.00
ETHANOL 2.33 2.33 0.00
for the water and ethylene separation column, a pressure reduction valve was previously
adapted, and a number of stages were estimated as shown in the column condition table.

Column 2 Conditions
Input Distillate Funds Pressure 10
ETHYLENE 2.851 2.847 0.004 RATIO REFLUX 0.008
WATER 9.440 0.006 9.434 DESTILATE TO FEED 0.2
RATIO
ACETY-01 0.057 0.057 0.000
stages 5
ACETA-01 0.216 0.064 0.152
Feed stag 2
CO 0.000 0.000 0.000
ETHANOL 2.326 0.004 2.322

considering the grinding conditions in a certain way is initial by using Rad-Frac column using pre-
reading values calculated or as a distillate reason and the rate of distillate stream feed it is
specific in the table the column 2.

COLUMNA 3
Input Distillate funds
 ETHYLENE 0.004 0.004 0.000 Conditions
WATER 9.434 0.608 8.826 pressure 1
ACETY-01 0.000 0.000 0.000 RATIO REFLUX 1.53
DESTILATE TO FEED 0.21
ACETA-01 0.152 0.152 0.000
RATIO
CO 0.000 0.000 0.000 Stages 10
ETHANOL 2.322 1.737 0.585 Feed stag 5

for the current conditions in column 3 it was determined that you should add another additional
process since 93% purity of methanol is not recovered but an adequate value is reached, not as
desired but with values close to the required one.
Flow chart