Question

2.17.7: Two distillation columns with three components. A pair of distillation columns are being monitored by Beatrix and Enrico. Benzene (B), toluene (T), and xylene (X) are fed to the

first distillation column. The overhead product of the first column contains only benzene and toluene. Toluene is fed to the first column at 1020 mol/hr while 74.4% of the benzene fed to the first column ends up in the overhead product. The stream exiting the bottom of the first column has a flow rate of 1590 mol/hr with 28.5 mol % benzene, 23.8 mol% toluene, and the rest xylene. The bottoms product from the first column is fed to a second distillation column. Pure xylene exits the bottom of the second column while the overhead product contains only benzene and toluene. Determine the following three unknowns. Flow rate of xylene exiting the second column = Ex: 515 mol/hr Mole fraction of toluene exiting the second column = Ex: 0.582 Flow rate of benzene exiting the overhead product of the first column = Ex: 1.50E mol/hr

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