Diseño y construcción de un destilador Batch para una mezcla binaria etanol-agua con control automático

Abstract

The objective of this study was to design a batch distillation column using calculations and equations corresponding to the McCabe-Thiele graphical method. To determine the number of theoretical stages and consequently the diameter and height of the tower, a binary mixture of ethanol-water was developed under normal conditions of temperature and pressure. For the final construction of the equipment, a diameter of 20.32 cm and a height of 1.55 m were established for the tower, nine perforated plates, a kettle, a condenser, and a condensate accumulator with a recirculation option were also installed. Temperature and level sensors were implemented in the equipment for the automatic control of the heating resistance and the solenoid reflux valve, respectively. The monitoring of the temperatures with thermocouples on plates 1, 5 and 9 was done using the Arduino programming language on the Thing Speak web platform. The validation of the optimal functioning of the column was developed through three experimental practices with the same initial conditions of alcohol concentration, 49 ° GL and a loading volume of 10L. In each practice we worked with a variation of 0%, 50% and 100% of the reflux valve opening, thus obtaining different operating times, volumes and concentrations of alcohol in the distillate. It was concluded that for a better percentage of recovery of ethanol, volumetric yield and efficiency in alcoholic degrees, a valve should be operated at 100% opening in which results of 84.86%, 49.5% and 71.43% were obtained respectively in an operating time of 160 minutes.