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Orizaba Institute of Technology

Chemical Engineering

SEPARATION PROCESSES AND THEIR IMPORTANCE IN INDUSTRY

In the industry of chemical and physical processes, as well as in processes

biological and food products, there are many similarities in terms of the shape of the
input or feed materials, which are modified or processed
to obtain final materials from chemical or biological products. It is possible
consider these chemical, physical or biological processes, apparently distinct,
and classify them into a series of individual and different stages, called
unit operations. However, the previous term has been replaced with
great frequency for another more modern and descriptive called processes of
separation. Regardless of what they are called, the processes of separation are
common to all types of process industries. A typical chemical plant is a
reactor surrounded by separators, as shown in figure 1, where the
raw materials are purified beforehand in separation devices and are
They feed the chemical reactor; the feed that does not react is separated from the
reaction products are recycled back to the reactor.

Figure 1 Typical chemical plant

For the above reasons, separation processes are of great importance in the industry.
chemistry. Due to the fact that the conversion obtained in industrial reactors is
generally less than 100 percent and the possibility of having several reagents and
products. As mentioned earlier, an output stream from a reactor
chemical is generally followed by a separation system. The problem
basic synthesis of separation systems involves specifying the stream that
contains the compounds to be separated and the products to be obtained
obtain with their degrees of purity.
Separation processes can be classified into two types:
direct separations
indirect separations.

The first type does not include the addition of external materials to those it contains.
initial mixture while the seconds base their operation on the alteration of
the physical properties of the mixture by the addition of a new component.
The typical example of the first type of separations is distillation, while
within the second type are extraction and absorption among others.

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Chemical Engineering

Separation processes can also be classified as:

Application and importance in the industry:

Its field of application ranges from the petrochemical industry, where it is used for
separate the components of crude oil, the desalination of seawater for
obtain drinking water, and in the food industry to obtain spirits, beer and
wine (clearly at some point in its production).

Conclusion:
Distillation is a separation process of vital importance in the industry.
chemistry, as it is used in a wide range of processes and is of broad
acceptance by all engineers.

The methods for separating the components of mixtures are of two types:

SEPARATION METHODS BY DIFFUSION

This group of operations for the separation of the components of mixtures,
which are based on the transfer of material from one homogeneous phase to another,
they use differences in vapor pressure or solubility. The driving force of the
transfer is a difference or gradient of concentration, in the same way
that a difference or a temperature gradient constitutes the driving force
of heat transfer.

a) Distillation

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Chemical Engineering

The objective of distillation is to separate, by vaporization, a liquid mixture.

of miscible and volatile substances in their individual components, or in some
cases in groups of components. Examples of distillation are the separation of
mixtures like alcohol and water in their components; liquid air in nitrogen,
oxygen and argon; and a crude oil into gasoline, kerosene, fuel oil, and oils
lubricants.

b) Gas Absorption
A soluble vapor contained in a mixture with an inert gas is absorbed.
through a liquid in which the gaseous solute is more or less soluble. A
A typical example is the washing of ammonia with liquid water.
content in an ammonia-air mixture. The solute is subsequently recovered from the
liquid through distillation and the absorption liquid can be reused or
discard.

c) Dehumidification
The liquid phase is a pure substance that consists of the component that
it separates from the gas stream, meaning that the solvent and the solute are the
same substance. Frequently, the inert gas or vapor is practically insoluble.
in the liquid. The separation of water vapor from the air by condensation on a
cold surface, and the condensation of an organic vapor, such as tetrachloride of
carbon, contained in a nitrogen stream, are examples of
dehumidification. In dehumidification operations, the direction of the
transfer is from the gaseous phase to the liquid phase and is understood as a case
particular of gas absorption.

d) Liquid-liquid extraction
Also called solvent extraction, in which a liquid mixture is treated.
with a solvent that preferentially dissolves one or more components of the
mix. The mixture treated in this way is called refined and the phase rich in
Solvent is referred to as extract. The component that is transmitted from the
refined towards the extract is the solute, and the component that remains in the refined
it is the thinner.

e) Extraction of solids or leaching

The soluble material contained in a mixture with an inert solid is diluted in a
liquid solvent. The dissolved material or solute can be recovered later.
by evaporation or crystallization.

f) Crystallization
By crystallization, a solute is separated from a liquid solution.
generally leaving the impurities in the molten mass or in the mother waters.
This method is used to obtain high purity crystals formed by
uniform-sized particles with an attractive appearance.

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Chemical Engineering

Decantation
Decantation is a physical process of separation of mixtures, especially for
separate heterogeneous mixtures, these can be exclusively liquid - liquid
solid - liquid. Decantation is based on the difference in densities between the
two components, which causes them to separate when left at rest until
to position itself denser at the bottom of the container that holds them. From this
In this way, we can empty the content from the top (if we want to take the component
less dense) or below (if we want to take the denser one). In the industry of
steel, seamless pipes can be manufactured by pouring out liquid steel (1,550ºC
approximately) in a round mold, spinning at high speed and depending on the
amount of steel, the thickness of the tube is obtained.
h) Centrifugation
Centrifugation is amethodby which solids can be separated from liquids
of different density by means of acentrifugal [Link] centrifugal force is
provided by a machine calledcentrifuge,which prints to themixa
rotation movement that originates astrengthwhat produces sedimentation of
the solids or the particles of higher density. The denser components
from the mixture are displaced outside the axis of rotation of the centrifuge, while
the less dense components of the mixture move towards the axis of
rotation.
In high purity cooked masses, the sugar in the centrifuge is washed with water and
then with vapor o with vapor only.
The double purge is aprocedurefor the separation of sugar, which only is
used in the production of white sugar. It first involves purging the mass
cooked in a battery of centrifuges, without washing it. The honeys obtained are
then poor o heavy

i) Magnetic separation
It is an operation intended for the separation of a component.
metallic (solid) with another non-metallic (solid). Magnets are attracted because in the
magnetic fields the lines of force connect with the lines of force of
another magnet of different polarity "Joining" the magnets that is the lines of force
of connection that travel in space-time when encountering other lines of
forces of different polarity will attract the magnet to create a single magnet and thus
align with the magnetic fillets of the other magnet (align and arrange the magnets)
molecular) and close or balance the magnetic field.

The main uses of magnetic separation are:

. Removal or separation of metallic fragments

. Magnetic purification concentration processes.

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Chemical Engineering

MECHANICAL SEPARATION METHODS

Mechanical separation can be applied to heterogeneous mixtures. The techniques
they are based on physical differences between particles, such as size, shape
or the density.
They are applied to separate liquids from liquids, solids from gases, liquids from gases.
solids of solids and solids of liquids. There are special processes where there
they use other methods that will not be studied here. These special methods are
based on the differences in wetting ease or in the properties
electric or magnetic properties of substances.

Screening
Sifting is a method of particle separation that is based solely on
the size difference. In industrial screening, solids are poured onto a
perforated surface or sieve, that allows small particles, or 'fines', to pass through and
retains those of larger sizes, or
"Rejections". A sieve can only perform a separation into two.
fractions. These fractions are called fractions of unspecified size,
because although the upper or lower limit of particle size is known
what it contains, its real size is unknown.

b) Filtration
Filtration is the separation of solid particles contained in a fluid.
passing it through a filtering medium, on which the solids are deposited. The
Industrial filtration ranges from simple pouring to more complex separations.
The fluid can be a liquid or a gas; the solid particles can be coarse or
fine, rigid or flexible, round or elongated, separated or aggregated. The
Power suspension can carry a high or very low fraction 40-5%
in volume of solids.

c) Gravity sedimentation processes

Separation of solids contained in gases and liquids. For example, particles
dust can be removed from gases by a wide variety of methods. To
coarse solid particles, larger than about 325 microns, a chamber is useful
gravity sedimentation. The device is a large box, where in one of its
extremes take in air charged with dust and on the other side, the clarified air exits.
absence of air currents, the particles settle at the bottom because of
gravity. If the air remains in the chamber for a period of time
enough, the particles reach the bottom of the chamber, from where they can be
to be removed later.

d) Evaporation
Evaporation is a physical process in which a liquid or solid turns into a gas.
gradually into gas, considering that in this process the water is heated to
absorbing thermal energy from the sun considering that it, the source of
energy of the sun and this allows the phase to be completed. The energy needed for that

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one gram of water turns into steam is 540 calories at 100 ºC value
known as heat of evaporation. When evaporation occurs, the temperature of the
low air, when the heat from the surface is taken by evaporation
it is subsequently transported to other levels through the reverse process
of condensation, one is then faced with a mechanism of great importance, in
regarding the transfer and distribution of heat in the atmosphere in
the terrestrial globe.
The applications of these evaporators are diverse and specific for the
dairy and food industries.
e) Chromatography
Chromatography is a physical separation method based on the distribution of
the components of a mixture between two immiscible phases, one fixed or
stationary and another mobile. In all chromatographic separations, the sample is
dissolves in a mobile phase, which can be a gas, a liquid, or a fluid
supercritical. This mobile phase is passed through a stationary phase
immiscible, which remains fixed in a column or on a solid surface.
Detection and quantification of saccharin, benzoates, caffeine, and aspartame in soft drinks.
Detecto
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i frutiu
j cies-Separato
i noffatyacd
i estersbyphase
inversion and argentization of columns (Aluminate with Ag).
Separation of Triglycerides by chain length and degree of unsaturation
byn
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adulterated.

CONCLUSION:
Separation processes are very important as they depend on them.
product quality as well as the production cost, taking into account
the different types of separation processes according to what is desired
process within industries, considering the best method.

The separation of mixtures is very important because it is known about

properties, about the instruments or equipment and suitable methods for the
the preparation of this separation, the correct separation of mixtures helps us to
put into practice all the methods that were presented to separate mixtures. The
The first thing to consider when separating a mixture is its state.
physical, characteristics as well as their properties, is not superfluous
mention that the different types of separation processes have different
cost depending on its production.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
-Foust, Wenzel, Principles of Unit Operations, John Wiley and Sons
1990.

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Technological Institute of Orizaba

INGENIERIA QUIMICA

Transport processes and principles of separation processes,

Geankoplis, Christie John, 4th edition, Patria Publishing, Mexico 2011
Chemical Engineer's Handbook, Perry, Robert H and Green, Don W., 7th edition
Mc Graw Hill, Volume III. Separation Process Engineering, Wankat,
Phillip C., 2nd edition, Pearson Education

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