SEPARATION PROCESSES 1 AND HYSYS - 2022/3

Module Overview

This course provides an introduction to separation processes in general, but with particular emphasis on equilibrium staged separations of binary mixtures.  Processes covered include binary distillation, liquid-liquid extraction and gas absorption and desorption in tray columns. This gives students an appreciation of what lies beneath chemical engineering flow-sheeting and design software packages. This appreciation is enhanced by hands on experience with HYSYS, an industry standard chemical engineering design simulation package.

Module provider

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Module Leader

DUYAR Melis (Chst Chm Eng)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

Completion of the progression requirements to FHEQ Level 5 of the degree courses in Chemical Engineering, Chemical and Bio-Systems Engineering and Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, or equivalent. 

Module content

 Indicative content includes:

Introduction to equilibria and staged separation processes

• Minimum work of separation


• Vapour liquid equilibria


• Multicomponent flashes

• The equimolar overflow concept (plus Trouton’s rule)


• The top operating line


• The bottom operating line and McCabe-Thiele


• The q line and energy balances


• The feed line


• Minimum stages and tray efficiency


• Advanced columns – pump arounds etc

• Simple batch distillation


• Derivation and use of the Rayleigh equation

• The definition and use of operating lines


• Tray hydraulics


• Tray to tray calculations and the Kremser equation

• Simple multi-stage contactors


• Counter-current contact


• Total and partial immiscibility, triangular diagrams and stage to stage graphical constructions

• Introduction to the package, unit operations, graphical topology, component database, thermodynamic options, convergence, report generation


• Checking thermodynamic setting against experimental data


• Interpretation of process description, setting up and running a simulation, convergence to required product rate and specification


• Process costing and profitabality

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

HYSYS Simulation Report will be completed on an individual basis.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to engage the students at an early stage in the semester and provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate all module learning outcomes, through a balanced mix of theoretical questions, design exercises and hands-on HYSYS simulations.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of

• Examination – 65%, 2 hours (LO1 – LO3)


• Formative assessment – Online quizzes associated with progress through HYSYS tutorials. Only upon satisfactory completion of this activity will the HYSYS component be marked (LO4,LO5)


• HYSYS Individual Submission - 11% after first HYSYS session (Simulation, Report and Simple Calculations) (LO4, LO5)


• HYSYS Simulation Report – 24%. Submission of a report (group/individual options), outlining the modelling of the process and including an assessment of the profitability of the process, a critical evaluation of the design and a completed simulation of any process improvements applied (LO3, LO4, LO5)

Module aims

• Provide students with an introduction to equilibria, including binary vapour-liquid systems and ternary liquid-liquid systems.
• Introduce equilibrium staged separation processes, focussing on gas absorption, binary distillation and liquid-liquid extraction processes.
• Provide the knowledge and skills to undertake the specification and design of absorption columns, binary distillation columns and liquid liquid extractors (i.e. continuous diffusional contact devices)
• Familiarise students with a commercially available process modelling package (HYSYS) through hands-on examples

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

• Illustrate fundamental concepts and design procedures during lectures, by presenting them in the context of several worked examples.


• Highlight the similarities and differences between the different separation processes, and their design.


• Provide the students with opportunities to practice these concepts in carefully selected and thoroughly supervised tutorial sessions.


• Allow students to develop hands-on experience of building and analysing complex process models

• Lectures                                 2 hours per week for 11 weeks (22 hours total)


• Tutorial/Problem Classes       1 hours per week for 12 weeks (12 hours total) 


• Independent learning             71 hours

• Supervised Lab Session        4 hours


• Independent study (including online tutorial videos)                41 hours    


• Drop in sessions                    6 hours

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: ENG2111

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2022/3 academic year.