Separation Process Engineering, 5th Edition

Chapter 5

Introduction to Multicomponent Distillation

Chapter 5 is the bridge between binary and multicomponent distillation. Binary distillation problems can be solved in a straightforward manner using a stage-by-stage calculation that can be done either on a computer or graphically using a McCabe-Thiele diagram. When additional components are added, the resulting multicomponent problem becomes significantly more difficult, and solution may not be straightforward. In this chapter, we consider why multicomponent distillation is more complex than binary distillation, look at profile shapes typical of multicomponent distillation, and solve a limited selection of multicomponent distillation problems with stage-by-stage calculations. In Chapter ...