The solution having to be distilled, stored in a glass tank, is sent to the distillation column by a metering pump after crossing a pre-heating exchanger. The column can be fed through 3 points at different height. The distillation column is completely made of glass and it consists of a reboiler, of a column with packing of steel mesh and of a condenser with reflux valve and head. The bottom product and the distillate are collected into two glass tanks after being cooled by two heat exchangers. The automated version is equipped with two PID controllers being able to control the flow rate of cooling water crossing the condenser, the vacuum degree of the plant and the feeding pre-heating temperature, automatically.
TRAINING PROGRAM
This unit enables to deepen the following issues:
• Distillation of different mixtures (water / ethanol, water / methanol, methanol / propanol, etc…) versus the variation of the following operational parameters:
– feed pre-heating temperature
– reflux ratio
– feeding flow rate
– reboiler heating power
– feeding composition
– residual pressure
• Mass balance
• Energy balance
• Flooding
• Calculation of the number of theoretical trays
• Automatic flow, pressure and temperature control by PID controller
• Plant supervision by P.C.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
• Framework of AISI 304 stainless steel with castors
• 15 l feeding tank of borosilicate glass
• Distillation column of borosilicate glass, DN 50, h = 1100 mm, packed with mesh of AISI 316 stainless steel
• Reflux head of borosilicate glass equipped with solenoid valve for the control of reflux ratio
• Reboiler of borosilicate glass, with capacity of 5 l, equipped with quartz-sheathed electric heater of 2.5 kW
• Over head condenser of borosilicate glass, with exchange surface of 0.4 m2
• 2 graduated vessels of borosilicate glass for collecting the bottom product (4 l) and the distillate (1 l)
• Tube-in-tube heat exchanger of stainless steel for the bottom product
• Liquid-ring vacuum pump, equipped with air/water separator and check valve
• Feeding metering pump of AISI 316 stainless steel, with max. flow rate of 12 l/h
• Flowmeter of AISI 304 stainless steel for measuring the flow rate to the condenser, range of 0 to 250 l/h
• 2 Thyristor units
• Vacuum gauge of AISI 304 stainless steel with range of -1 to 0 bar
• 2 programmable timers for the control of reflux ratio
• 12 thermo-resistances Pt 100, with sheath of AISI 316 stainless steel
• 12 electronic temperature indicators
• Electronic differential pressure transmitter (between column top and bottom) of AISI 316 stainless steel, with range of 0 to 200 mm H2O, 4-20 mA output signal
• Electronic indicator of the measure of differential pressure
• Quartz-sheathed electric heater for preheating the feeding mixture, P = 0.3 kW
• Piping and valves of AISI 304 and AISI 316 stainless steel
• Switchboard IP55, complying with EC conformity mark, including plant synoptic and ELCB
• Emergency button
Besides being provided with all technical specifications, this model also includes the following additional items:
• Flow meter of AISI 304 stainless steel for flow rate to condenser, 4-20 mA output signal, range of 0 to 250 l/h
• Electronic absolute pressure transmitter (in column) of AISI 316 stainless steel, range of 0 to 1000 mbar, 4-20 mA output signal
• Interface for the connection with PC included in the switchboard
• Data acquisition software for Windows
Besides being provided with all technical specifications, this model also includes the following additional items:
• 2 pneumatic control valves of AISI 316 stainless steel, DN 15, Cv = 2.5
• 2 electropneumatic converters 4 to 20 mA/0.2 to 1 bar
• Flow meter of AISI 304 stainless steel for flow rate to condenser: 4-20 mA output signal, range of 0 to 250 l/h
• Electronic absolute pressure transmitter (in column) of AISI 316 stainless steel , range of 0 to 1000 mbar, 4-20 mA output signal
• 2 microprocessor multi-loop digital controllers, with 3 PID control loops (flow rate of water to the condenser, residual pressure and pre-heating temperature)
• Supervision software for Windows: it enables to control ON-OFF signals, analog signals coming from the PID
controller, real-time trend and historical trend
