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Question 1
A)
An azeotrope is a mixture of two or more liquids in such a way
where its
components cannot be altered by simple distillation. This
happens because,when an azeotrope is boiled, the vapor it produces
has proportionate
constituents as the original mixture.
If the constituents of a mixture are not completely miscible, an
azeotrope can be
found inside the miscibility gap. This type of azeotrope is
called a heterogeneous
azeotrope. If the azeotropic composition is outside the
miscibility gap, or the
constituents of the mixture are completely miscible the type of
azeotrope is
called a homogeneous azeotrope.
)
The relevance of distillation in an azeotropic is that a
complex distillation method
is required in order to separate or alter the mixture of liquids
present. If two
solvents can form a positive azeotrope, then distillation of any
mixture of those
constituents will result in the distillate being closer in
composition to the
azeotrope than the starting mixture.
!istillation is one of the primary tools that chemical engineers
can use to
separate mixtures into their constituents. ecause distillation
cannot separate
the constituents of an azeotrope, the separation of azeotropic
mixtures "which isalso #nown as azeotrope breaking) is an area of
considerable interest in this
$eld.
Moore, Walter J. Physical Chemistry, 3rd ed., Prentice-Hall
1962, pp140–142. Accessed 24/09/2012
!epartment of %hemical &ngineering 'niversity of Alicante.
(umerical !etermination of
!istillation oundaries for *ulticomponent +omogeneous and
+eterogeneous Azeotropic
ystems(. http-www.aidic.itescape/0webpapers1234eyes56abarta.pdf.
Accessed
/307/01/
+ilmen, &va58atrine "ovember /000). (eparation of Azeotropic
*ixtures- Tools for
Analysis and tudies on atch !istillation 9peration( ":!;).
orwegian 'niversity of
cience and Technology, !ept. of %hemical &ngineering.
http-www.chemeng.ntnu.nothesisdownload/000hilmenThesis
8/20/2019 HW8_17102058dfgdf
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)
The best sequence of the three above and the one provided
would be the systemthat produces the best separation of the four
di>erent individual components.
The system provided I believe would have the best
separation as only the top
component "most volatile component) is being separated in each
step of the
process, this is clear and the di>erence in volatility would
be more distinct,
although the di>erence in e>ectiveness of each type I
believe would be very
minimal.
