An equation used for the design of distillation columns to determine the ratio of the number of trays above and below the feed point. It is therefore used to determine the location of the feed tray in the column:
where ND is the number of theoretical trays above the feed and NB is the number below. B refers to the flow at the bottom and D at the top. x is the mole fraction and subscripts F, B, and D refer to the feed, bottom, and top, where LK and HK are the light and heavy key components. It is named after American chemical engineer Chalmer Gatlin Kirkbride (1906–98).