3 replies to this topic

[chemtastic]

Hi all, 

 

I'm working on an assignment about distillation column simulation that is asking me to define heat duty, and I've checked my textbook and there is no mention of it.  From what I've gathered and understand so far is that it is the amount of heat removed from a stream, but I'm not sure if this is a correct understanding of it. 

Thanks 

[Raj Mehta]

Heat duty in distillation column is with respect to both reboiler as well as the over head condenser. 

 

Thanks

[Bobby Strain]

Did you poke in a number to see what happens?

 

Bobby

[Art Montemayor]

Chemtastic:

 

If you are a chemical engineering student taking a Unit Operations course, your instructor has had to lecture you on distillation and how it works.  You should have had a total explanation that distillation is brought about by heat addition (with a reboiler) and heat extraction (with an overheads condenser).  You should not be attempting any "simulation" if you don't have a complete understanding of these basics because a heat and mass balance is involved.  The Heat Duty is defined by the author of the heat balance: it can be the Reboiler duty, the condense duty, or the net duty between the reboiler and the condenser.  It depends who is doing the definition.  But it involves a heat balance around the distillation system.

 

Are you trying to simulate a distillation column without taking a basic Unit Operations  course?  Maybe that's the problem - for now.