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[BrightSpark]

I have been attempting to establish a small batch process for separating out isotopic variations of water via vacuum distillation.

 

I know the relative volatility of the light component to the heavier component (alpha = 1.034 @ standard lab T&P), I also know the relative separation value when using hydrophobic PTFE membranes (alpha = 1.035 @40C under a pressure differential of 96kPa across the membrane).

 

The plan is to have a stainless steel vessel with a PTFE membrane acting as a filter to keep the heavy component in the vessel, extracting the light component via the low pressure and condensing it in another container.  Then adding in more feed to the bottoms and repeating this until a desired concentration % of heavy component remains in the bottoms.

 

LK = 99.8% of feed

HK = 0.02% of feed

 

Desired Bottoms = 98% HK

 

The thing I am having issues finding, is what the distillate composition would be (molar % would be fine).  From there I can calculate roughly how many batches of feed I would need to concentrate into the bottoms product I am after and so on.

 

Where would I find the right sorts of equations, how would I go about calculating this?  I am not a ChemEng student by trade, but a Physical Chemist looking to get into Fine Chemicals production.