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Calculating Emissions From A Distillation Process


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#1 CH3CH2OH

CH3CH2OH

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Posted 20 March 2019 - 02:23 PM

Hello,

I am working on preliminary emissions calculations for a distillation process.

 

It is a batch distillation process where toluene and water azeotrope is distilled off of a polymer in a stirred vessel with steam heat to the jacket.

 

The process runs at atmospheric pressure (except for a nitrogen blanket at a few inches of water column to keep the system inert) and the toluene and water azetrope is boiled off at its boiling point of 185°F.

 

The toluene and water azetrope goes through a primary condenser with cooling water to the shell to condenser most of the azetrope.  The condensed liquid goes to a collection pot, which is vented to a secondary condenser that is colled with a water / ethylene glycol mixture at about 35°F.

 

For emissions, I know I will get some toluene emissions when I pump the toluene / water / polymer mixture into the vessel, but I'm stuck on how to calculate emissions from the distillation process.

 

Can someone help me wrap my head around this?

 

I would think I would have a saturated vapor at whatever my vent outlet temperature is through my secondary condenser, but since the water and toluene vapor pressure will be pretty low at this tempertaure, I'm not sure what else would be in that vapor stream after the two condensers and if there would be any motive force to push those vapors out.

 

There is the nitrogen blanket that I mentioned, but this regulator is no longer active during the distillation since the vessel pot pressure exceeds the blanket nitrogen pressure due to the vapor traffic in the headspace.

 



#2 Bobby Strain

Bobby Strain

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Posted 20 March 2019 - 04:39 PM

You must determine the inert vent quantity to find the organic emission. Just remember that imiscible phases each exert their full vapor pressure.






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