Distillation Quiz: Envision Systems Inc
Distillation Quiz: Envision Systems Inc
Distillation
Quiz
1. Chapter 1: Overview 2
7. Chapter 7: Troubleshooting 20
1. Distillation is a basic unit operation widely used in oil refineries and petrochemical industries for:
a) Reactors
b) Trays
c) Compressors
d) Reboilers
4. The distillation unit generally consists of a distillation tower, a condenser, a reflux drum and:
a) A compressor
b) A reboiler
c) A turbine
d) A reactor
5. Within a distillation tower, the liquid leaving the tray is __________ in heavier fractions than the vapor
leaving the tray.
a) Leaner
b) Hotter
c) Richer
d) Colder
6. Within a distillation tower, the rising vapor is __________ in lighter fractions than the liquid in the tray.
a) Leaner
b) Hotter
c) Richer
d) Colder
a) True
b) False
11. The __________ enters the top of the tray and leaves through the bottom of the tray in a distillation
tower.
a) Vapor
b) Liquid
12. In order to maintain adequate amount of liquid within the tower, the vapor leaving the tower is cooled,
condensed and returned to the tower. This cooling is achieved by supplying coolant to the:
a) Condenser
b) Distillation tower
c) Reboiler
d) Reflux drum
13. To generate vapor at each tray, heat must be added to the tower. This heat is supplied by the:
a) Reboiler
b) Condenser
c) Pumps
d) Reflux drum
a) Condensed vapor at the top of the tower that is re-circulated back to the tower
b) Liquid feed that is added to the top of the tower
c) Liquid at the tower bottom that is re-circulated back to the tower
16. At the top of the tower, the vapor is cooled and condensed in a condenser, and then collected in the
reflux drum. Some of this liquid is re-circulated back to the tower for cooling purposes. This re-
circulated liquid is called:
a) Feed
b) Top product
c) Reflux
d) Bottom product
17. An increase in reflux flow to the distillation tower has no effect on the energy consumption.
a) True
b) False
18. In some distillation towers, the reboiler is replaced by sending __________ to the tower. This
__________ the partial pressure of the boiling components.
a) Air / Increases
b) Steam / Decreases
c) Steam / Increases
d) Air / Decreases
a) Increase in partial pressure of boiling components lowers the mixture boiling point.
b) Decrease in partial pressure of boiling components lowers the mixture boiling point.
c) Change in partial pressure of boiling components does not affect the mixture boiling point.
1. Consider a sealed container with a gas in it. When the container is heated, the pressure:
a) Increases
b) Decreases
c) Does not change
d) None of the above
2. Consider a sealed container with a gas in it. When the container is expanded, the pressure:
a) Increases
b) Decreases
c) Does not change
d) None of the above
3. The gas behavior can be approximated by an ideal gas law, PV = nRT, where P: Pressure, V:
Volume, n: Number of moles, R: Gas Constant and T: Absolute Temperature.
Suppose there are two sealed containers, A and B, each with identical volumes and at the same
temperature, but containing 30 and 10 moles of nitrogen, respectively. What is the pressure of
nitrogen in container A when compared with that in container B?
a) Same
b) Two times
c) Half
d) Three times
e) Ten times
4. The gas behavior can be approximated by an ideal gas law, PV = nRT, where P: Pressure, V:
Volume, n: Number of moles, R: Gas Constant and T: Absolute Temperature.
Suppose there are two sealed containers, A and B, each with identical volumes and at the same
temperature, but containing 10 and 20 moles of nitrogen, respectively.
Suppose the container A is heated until its absolute temperature becomes twice as high as that of
B. What is the pressure of nitrogen in container A when compared with that in container B?
a) Same
b) Two times
c) Half
d) Three times
e) Ten times
5. Consider a sealed container with pentane in liquid and vapor form, at certain temperature. When the
liquid vaporization rate equals vapor condensation rate, the vapor and liquid are said to be:
a) Superheated
b) In equilibrium
c) Subcooled
d) None of the above
a) Partial pressure
b) Atmospheric pressure
c) Vapor pressure
d) Critical pressure
7. The vapor pressure of a pure component can be determined by its temperature alone.
a) True
b) False
8. If the vapor pressure of a component is higher in a gas mixture, then the boiling point of that
component is also higher.
a) True
b) False
9. The water boils at approximately 100 deg C ( 212 deg F ) at sea level. The same water boils at a
much lower temperature at the top of a mountain due to:
10. The boiling point of water and pentane at atmospheric pressure are 100 deg C ( 212 deg F ) and 36
deg C ( 97 deg F ) respectively. Which component has a higher vapor pressure?
a) Pentane
b) Water
c) Cannot say from the above statement
d) Both have the same vapor pressure
11. Butane boils at – 0.5 deg C ( 31.1 deg F ) at atmospheric pressure. What is the vapor pressure of
butane at 10 deg C ( 50 deg F )?
12. Consider a sealed container with two components A and B present in vapor and liquid phases at
equilibrium. According to Dalton's Law, the total container pressure is equal to the sum of the vapor
pressures of A and B at that temperature.
a) True
b) False
a) True
b) False
14. The partial pressure of a component in a mixture is the pressure exerted by its vapor in the mixture.
The partial pressure of a component for a vapor liquid mixture in equilibrium, can be expressed by
Raoult's Law
The partial pressure of a component can be calculated by the liquid mole fraction and temperature.
a) True
b) False
15. Consider a sealed container with components A and B present in vapor and liquid phases at
equilibrium. Suppose the liquid mole fraction of A and B is 0.5 each.
If the boiling point of A is higher than that of B, compare the partial pressure of A with that of B.
a) A is higher than B
b) A is lower than B
c) Cannot say from the above statement
16. Consider a sealed container with components A and B present in vapor and liquid phases at
equilibrium. Suppose the liquid mole fraction of A is 0.2 and that of B is 0.8 and the vapor pressure of
A is twice as that of B. The partial pressure of A is:
17. Consider a sealed container with two Components A and B present in vapor and liquid phases at 66.7
deg C ( 152 deg F ).
Suppose the liquid mole fraction of A is 0.5 and vapor pressures of A and B at 66.7 deg C ( 152 deg F
) are 800 mm Hg ( 31.5 in Hg ) and 400 mm Hg ( 15.8 in Hg ) respectively. What is the total gas
pressure?
a) 600 mm Hg ( 23.6 in Hg )
b) 800 mm Hg ( 31.5 in Hg )
c) 400 mm Hg ( 15.8 in Hg )
d) 200 mm Hg ( 7.9 in Hg )
e) Cannot say from the above statement
19. Suppose a liquid mixture containing equal compositions of one heavy and one light component is
partially vaporized. The resultant vapor will contain more of the __________ component.
a) Light
b) Heavy
20. Consider a vapor mixture consisting of 80% of a lighter component A and 20% of a heavier
component B. If all the vapor mixture is condensed, what will be the composition of A and B in the
condensed liquid?
21. Composition control can be used for controlling effective separation of components in a distillation
tower.
a) True
b) False
22. Composition of the distilling mixture can be controlled at various sections of the tower by controlling
the __________.
a) Temperature
b) Pressure
c) Reflux Drum Level
d) Feed Flow
1. Normally, the reflux flow controller in a distillation tower indirectly controls the cooling water flow to
the condenser.
a) True
b) False
a) Feed flow to the tower is the sum of the top product flow and the bottom product flow
b) The top product flow is the sum of the feed flow and the bottom product flow
c) The bottom product flow is the sum of the reflux flow and the feed flow
d) The top product flow and the bottom product are equal
4. The top product flow from a distillation tower is indirectly controlled by the __________.
5. The composition of the product of the distillation tower must be controlled to obtain the desired
product. Generally, the composition cannot be directly controlled. Select a process variable which is
manipulated to control the product composition.
a) Pressure
b) Reflux drum level
c) Temperature
d) Feed flow rate
6. In many distillation towers, the tower temperature is controlled by adjusting the amount of heat to the
reboiler.
If the tower temperature decreases due to some reason, the temperature controller will __________
the reboiler heat duty to maintain the temperature.
a) Increase
b) Decrease
a) True
b) False
8. When the distillation tower is operated at a higher temperature than normal, the top product:
9. In many distillation towers, the tower temperature is controlled by adjusting the reflux flow returning to
the tower.
If the tower temperature decreases for some reason, the temperature controller will __________ the
reflux flow to maintain the temperature.
a) Increase
b) Decrease
10. The vapor leaving the top of the distillation tower is condensed in the:
a) Reflux Drum
b) By jacketing the vapor line with a coolant
c) Condenser by exchanging heat with cooling water
d) Condenser by exchanging heat with the reflux
11. In the condenser, the vapor leaving the top of the tower is condensed. Some of the condensate
returns to the tower and cools the tower. This flow returning to the tower is called:
a) Bottom product
b) Top product
c) Feed
d) Reflux
12. If the tower temperature is maintained constant, a change in the tower pressure does not affect the
composition of the products.
a) True
b) False
13. If the pressure of the distillation tower increases, the split range controller __________ the vapor flow
through the condenser bypass line.
a) Increases
b) Decreases
c) Does not vary
15. The distillation tower temperature is controlled by adjusting the reboiler hot oil flow.
a) True
b) False
16. When the distillation tower temperature is maintained by adjusting the reflux flow:
1. Prior to commencing the startup operation, it should be ensured that all control valves are fully open.
a) True
b) False
4. During startup operation, start heating the tower through the reboiler:
5. Before you start heating the tower through the reboiler, you must:
7. When the reboiler duty decreases, the vapor flow within the tower:
a) Decreases
b) Increases
c) Stays the same
9. When the reflux flow decreases, the vapor flow within the tower:
a) Decreases
b) Increases
c) Stays the same
10. As the vapor flow decreases, the tower pressure tends to:
a) Increase
b) Decrease
c) Stay the same
11. When the heat duty to the reboiler is increased, the vapor flow in the tower increases. The reflux
drum level tends to:
a) Increase
b) Decrease
c) Stay the same
12. In the condenser, the vapor leaving the top of the tower is condensed. Some of the condensate
returns to the tower and cools it. This flow returning to the tower is called:
a) Bottom product
b) Top product
c) Feed
d) Reflux
13. When the reflux flow is increased, the vapor flow in the tower decreases and liquid flow increases.
The tower bottom level tends to:
a) Increase
b) Decrease
c) Stay the same
14. When no feed is supplied to the tower and no products are withdrawn from the tower, the liquid and
vapor re-circulate throughout the tower system. This operating condition provides the maximum
fractionation effect. This operational mode is called:
15. Fractionation in a distillation tower is maximum when the tower is in total reflux condition.
a) True
b) False
16. The top and bottom product flows are commenced prior to total reflux operation.
a) True
b) False
1. If the distillation tower is at a steady state, any change in feed composition does not require any
change in the tower operating conditions.
a) True
b) False
3. Suppose the feed flow is increased and the tower is allowed to reach a new steady state condition.
The resultant top product flow will increase and the bottom product flow will:
a) Increase
b) Decrease
c) Stay the same
4. When the liquid throughput within the tower becomes very high, liquid buildup increases on each tray.
This buildup eventually leads to the loss of cascading liquid from one tray to another.
The vapor flow from one tray to another is also seriously impeded.
a) Flooding
b) Weeping
c) Cascading
d) Fluctuating
8. The product compositions can be adjusted by changing the tower temperature or the reflux flow.
When the tower temperature is increased, the vapor flow within the tower also increases. Thus, the
purity of the bottom product:
a) Decreases
b) Increases
c) Stays the same
9. When the tower temperature is increased, the vapor flow within the tower also increases. As a result,
the purity of the top product:
a) Decreases
b) Increases
c) Stays the same
10. When the tower temperature is reduced, the vapor flow within the tower decreases. As a result, the
purity of the top product:
a) Decreases
b) Increases
c) Stays the same
11. When the tower temperature is reduced, the vapor flow within the tower decreases. As a result, the
purity of the bottom product:
a) Decreases
b) Increases
c) Stays the same
12. When both the reflux flow and the reboiler heat duty are increased, the purity of the bottom product:
a) Decreases
b) Increases
c) Stays the same
13. Suppose that you have to increase the purity of the top product. You must:
15. The excessively high vapor flow in the tower may lead to:
16. When the heat input to the reboiler is increased, the tower temperatures:
a) Increase
b) Decrease
c) Do not change
a) Increase
b) Decrease
c) Do not change
18. Consider an increase in the heavier fractions in the feed. As a result, the top product flow:
a) Decreases
b) Increases
c) Stays the same
19. Consider an increase in the lighter fractions in the feed. As a result, the bottom product flow:
a) Decreases
b) Increases
c) Stays the same
20. When the lighter fractions in the feed are increased, the level of the reflux drum:
a) Increases
b) Decreases
c) Does not change
21. When the lighter fractions in the feed are decreased, the level of the tower bottom:
a) Increases
b) Decreases
c) Does not change
a) As quickly as possible
b) Gradually
2. As the feed to the tower is decreased during the normal shutdown operation, the top and bottom
product flows are also decreased by automatic control action.
a) True
b) False
3. As the reboiler heat duty to the tower is reduced during the normal shutdown operation, the purity of
the bottom products:
a) Decreases
b) Stays the same
c) Increases
4. As the reboiler heat duty to the tower is stopped, the level of the tower bottom:
a) Decreases
b) Stays the same
c) Increases
6. After the heat to the tower by the reboiler is stopped, the vapor flow in the tower:
a) Stops
b) Increases
c) Stays the same
7. After the feed flow and heat to the tower by the reboiler are stopped, some liquid still remains in the
reflux drum and the tower bottom. This liquid is drained to the:
a) Slop line
b) Bottom product line
c) Top product line
8. After the tower and drum have been drained completely, they should be purged with:
a) Air
b) Oxygen
c) Nitrogen
d) Hydrogen
1. Loss of feed is not an abnormal condition for distillation tower operation. The tower operation can
continue to operate normally.
a) True
b) False
2. Which of the following is an abnormal condition in a distillation tower, which may necessitate
shutdown of the tower?
3. When the reflux pump trips during normal operation, you must:
4. When the reflux pump trips during normal operation, the reflux drum level continues to increase and
eventually the condenser is flooded. What happens after this situation?
a) The cooling effect of the condenser increases, causing the tower pressure to decrease
b) The cooling effect of the condenser increases, causing the tower pressure to increase
c) The cooling effect of the condenser decreases, causing the tower pressure to increase
d) The cooling effect of the condenser decreases, causing the tower pressure to decrease
5. When the reflux pump trips during normal operation, the control valve of the reflux flow controller:
a) Opens fully
b) Closes fully
c) Stays in the same position
6. When the reflux pump trips during normal operation, the reflux and the top product flows stop. The
tower temperature:
a) Decreases
b) Increases
c) Stays the same
7. When the reflux pump trips during normal operation, the liquid flow in the tower:
a) Increases
b) Decreases
c) Does not change
8. When the reflux drum becomes empty during normal operation, the tower temperature:
a) Increases
b) Decreases
c) Stays the same
9. If the reflux drum level transmitter fails by incorrectly sending a level signal much higher than the real
level during normal operation:
10. When the reflux drum level transmitter fails by incorrectly sending a level signal much lower than the
real level during normal operation, the reflux drum level controller acts to increase the level.
The actual level as seen through the field level sight-glass of the reflux drum is:
11. When the reflux drum level transmitter fails, the tower may be upset. The corrective action is to:
12. When the feed to the tower is lost, a shutdown operation is not required in many cases. The
corrective action is to:
13. When the feed to the distillation tower is lost, it can be detected by:
14. When the cooling water flow to the condenser is lost, what happens to the tower?
17. When the cooling water to the condenser is lost, the tower temperatures:
a) Decrease
b) Increase
c) Stay the same