A stream that is 3 wt% B and the 97 wt% C, and a stream that contains only A and B (5,300 kg/hr total), are fed to a column. Three product streams emerge: the overhead is 100% A. The bottom stream is 60 wt% B and 40 wt% C. The middle stream is 70 wt% A and the rest B and C and flows at 1,200 kg/hr. How many material balances can be written on the overall system?

Question

Nathan Blackburn

Physics

27 April, 20:43

A stream that is 3 wt% B and the 97 wt% C, and a stream that contains only A and B (5,300 kg/hr total), are fed to a column. Three product streams emerge: the overhead is 100% A. The bottom stream is 60 wt% B and 40 wt% C. The middle stream is 70 wt% A and the rest B and C and flows at 1,200 kg/hr. How many material balances can be written on the overall system?

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Kadence Pugh · Answer 1

Three balances can be written.

Mass of A into the column = mass of A out of the column

Mass of B into the column = mass of B out of the column

Mass of C into the column = mass of C out of the column

There are four unknowns: mass flow of the first feed stream, mass flow of the overhead stream, mass flow of the bottom stream, and percent B or C of the middle stream.

Since there are more unknowns than equations, there is not enough information to solve the equations.