Influence of Reflux Ratio on the Number of Theoretical Plates in Distillation Tower:Application of Computer-Aided Calculation in Chemical Engineering Principle Course
WANG Jia-Yang1, WU Shao-Gui2**
1. College of Resources and Environment, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu 610225, China;
2. College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
Abstract In this paper, we took the calculation of theoretical plate number as an example to introduce the application of computer-aided calculation in the course of chemical engineering principles. First, a distillation tower with known plate number was used to verify the correctness of the program. Then, an industrial case was used to introduce the application of this method in actual production. In order to cultivate students’ spirit of exploration, the influence of changing parameters on the number of theoretical plates was discussed, and the reasons were analyzed finally. When the reflux ratio decreases, the number of theoretical plates increases, which is mainly caused by the increase of the number of plates in the rectification section. When the reflux ratio decreases at small intervals, the theoretical plate number increases in a zigzag manner, which is caused by the zigzag change in the number of plates in the stripping section. Further analysis revealed that the zigzag change of theoretical plate number was resulted from the variation of liquid phase composition in the first plate of the stripping section.
WANG Jia-Yang, WU Shao-Gui. Influence of Reflux Ratio on the Number of Theoretical Plates in Distillation Tower:Application of Computer-Aided Calculation in Chemical Engineering Principle Course[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Education, 2020, 41(14): 80-84.
