Purge Stream in a System with Recycle: Summary
The answers to the ConcepTests are given below and will open in a separate window.
Key points from this module:
- Solving material balances on a system with recycle and purge usually requires an iterative solution.
- When a feed with an impurity is fed to a system with recycle, a purge is usually necessary to obtain steady-state operation (unless the impurity is removed in a separator).
- The compositions of the two streams after a splitting point are identical.
From studying this module, you should now be able to:
- Explain why a purge stream is needed in a system with recycle.
- Write down material balances for a system with recycle and purge.
- Calculate molar flow rates in a system with reaction, recycle, and a purge stream.
A related topic is bypass:
This screencast describes a bypass stream in a process and provides an example.
Prepared by John L. Falconer, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder