PTAC Process Technology I – Exam 4: Equipment
Fundamentals and Operations
Also study Exam 3 PTAC Process Tech 1 - Equipment for the final exam - correct answer ✔✔Also
study Exam 3 PTAC Process Tech 1 - Equipment for the final exam
1. Crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons. Distillation uses what physical characteristic of
compounds to separate the components of a mixture? __________________________. -
correct answer ✔✔boiling point
2. Another name for a tower is a _________________. - correct answer ✔✔column
3. Define hydrocarbon. - correct answer ✔✔organic compound made of hydrogen and carbon
4. List three characteristics of hydrocarbon liquids. - correct answer ✔✔flammable, components
of crude oil, light hydrcarbons easiliy vaporized, light HC are clear, Heavy HC are hard to vaporize
5. The portion of the tower where the feed enters is called the _____________. What happens
to the feed when it enters this area? - correct answer ✔✔1st part- feed tray, feed zone, flash
zone. 2nd part - light HC flash and rise, heavy HC stay as a liquid and fall
6. What type of heat exchanger is located at the top of the tower and what is the purpose of the
exchanger? - correct answer ✔✔condenser, condense OVHD vapors and convert to liquid, then
pumped for recirc or top product
7. What controls the temperature in the top of the tower? - correct answer ✔✔reflux rate
,8. The section above the flash zone is called the ________________section and the section
below it is called the _______________ section. - correct answer ✔✔rectifying section,
stripping section
9. The driving force that moves vapors up a column is _____________________. - correct
answer ✔✔pressure
10. What is the function of the reboiler? - correct answer ✔✔it's the heat source to the bottom
of distillation column
11. Temperature is ___________ at the bottom of the column where the _______________ and
the ______________________ are. - correct answer ✔✔highest, heavy hydrocarbons are,
reboiler are
12. What is the purpose of the outlet weir on a distillation tray? - correct answer ✔✔guarantee
there is a liquid level on the tray
13. What is a downcomer? - correct answer ✔✔shoot or channel for liquid to flow down the
column
14. Where is the demister pad located, and what is its function? - correct answer ✔✔top of
tower, remove liquids from OVHD gas flow
15. Trays are expensive to manufacture. What is the primary purpose of the trays in a tower? -
correct answer ✔✔designed to enhance vapor and liquid contact, forces contact between the
vapors and the liquid , promotes separation
16. List the three most common types of trays and make a small drawing of each type of tray. -
correct answer ✔✔bubble cap, valve, sieve
, 17. Explain how a valve tray operates. - correct answer ✔✔rising vapors light the valve and
vapors pass thru the liquid
18. How is reflux distributed across the top of the tower? - correct answer ✔✔distributor plate
that spreads out the liquid
19. The difference between the tower bottom temperature and tower top is called the
_________________________. The difference between the pressure at the bottom of the
column and top is called the __________ ____________________. - correct answer
✔✔temperature gradient, pressure gradient
20. List three types of random packing for a packed column. - correct answer ✔✔sulzer rings,
pall rings, saddles, interlocks
21. How is random packing loaded into a tower? - correct answer ✔✔manually, dump it in
22. An API gravity of 21 is (heavier, lighter) than water. Hydrocarbon A has an API gravity of 36
while hydrocarbon B has an API gravity of 42. Which is lighter? _______. - correct answer
✔✔lighter, B , 42 is lighter
23. Define initial boiling point (IBP). - correct answer ✔✔temp where the mixture first start to
boil or evolve vapors, temp at which the first drop of vapor forms
24. What does an IBP tell a tower operator? - correct answer ✔✔the amount of light
hydrocarbons
25. Define end boiling point (EP). - correct answer ✔✔the last drop of liquid vaporizes
26. What is the end point test used for? - correct answer ✔✔determines the amount of heavy
hydrocarbons
Fundamentals and Operations
Also study Exam 3 PTAC Process Tech 1 - Equipment for the final exam - correct answer ✔✔Also
study Exam 3 PTAC Process Tech 1 - Equipment for the final exam
1. Crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons. Distillation uses what physical characteristic of
compounds to separate the components of a mixture? __________________________. -
correct answer ✔✔boiling point
2. Another name for a tower is a _________________. - correct answer ✔✔column
3. Define hydrocarbon. - correct answer ✔✔organic compound made of hydrogen and carbon
4. List three characteristics of hydrocarbon liquids. - correct answer ✔✔flammable, components
of crude oil, light hydrcarbons easiliy vaporized, light HC are clear, Heavy HC are hard to vaporize
5. The portion of the tower where the feed enters is called the _____________. What happens
to the feed when it enters this area? - correct answer ✔✔1st part- feed tray, feed zone, flash
zone. 2nd part - light HC flash and rise, heavy HC stay as a liquid and fall
6. What type of heat exchanger is located at the top of the tower and what is the purpose of the
exchanger? - correct answer ✔✔condenser, condense OVHD vapors and convert to liquid, then
pumped for recirc or top product
7. What controls the temperature in the top of the tower? - correct answer ✔✔reflux rate
,8. The section above the flash zone is called the ________________section and the section
below it is called the _______________ section. - correct answer ✔✔rectifying section,
stripping section
9. The driving force that moves vapors up a column is _____________________. - correct
answer ✔✔pressure
10. What is the function of the reboiler? - correct answer ✔✔it's the heat source to the bottom
of distillation column
11. Temperature is ___________ at the bottom of the column where the _______________ and
the ______________________ are. - correct answer ✔✔highest, heavy hydrocarbons are,
reboiler are
12. What is the purpose of the outlet weir on a distillation tray? - correct answer ✔✔guarantee
there is a liquid level on the tray
13. What is a downcomer? - correct answer ✔✔shoot or channel for liquid to flow down the
column
14. Where is the demister pad located, and what is its function? - correct answer ✔✔top of
tower, remove liquids from OVHD gas flow
15. Trays are expensive to manufacture. What is the primary purpose of the trays in a tower? -
correct answer ✔✔designed to enhance vapor and liquid contact, forces contact between the
vapors and the liquid , promotes separation
16. List the three most common types of trays and make a small drawing of each type of tray. -
correct answer ✔✔bubble cap, valve, sieve
, 17. Explain how a valve tray operates. - correct answer ✔✔rising vapors light the valve and
vapors pass thru the liquid
18. How is reflux distributed across the top of the tower? - correct answer ✔✔distributor plate
that spreads out the liquid
19. The difference between the tower bottom temperature and tower top is called the
_________________________. The difference between the pressure at the bottom of the
column and top is called the __________ ____________________. - correct answer
✔✔temperature gradient, pressure gradient
20. List three types of random packing for a packed column. - correct answer ✔✔sulzer rings,
pall rings, saddles, interlocks
21. How is random packing loaded into a tower? - correct answer ✔✔manually, dump it in
22. An API gravity of 21 is (heavier, lighter) than water. Hydrocarbon A has an API gravity of 36
while hydrocarbon B has an API gravity of 42. Which is lighter? _______. - correct answer
✔✔lighter, B , 42 is lighter
23. Define initial boiling point (IBP). - correct answer ✔✔temp where the mixture first start to
boil or evolve vapors, temp at which the first drop of vapor forms
24. What does an IBP tell a tower operator? - correct answer ✔✔the amount of light
hydrocarbons
25. Define end boiling point (EP). - correct answer ✔✔the last drop of liquid vaporizes
26. What is the end point test used for? - correct answer ✔✔determines the amount of heavy
hydrocarbons
