A hierarchical approach for solvent selection based on successive model refinement

Publikationstyp
Conference Paper
Date Issued
2018-06
Sprache
English
Author(s)
Kruber, Kai  
Scheffczyk, Jan  
Leonhard, Kai  
Bardow, André  
Skiborowski, Mirko  orcid-logo
TORE-URI
http://hdl.handle.net/11420/8204
First published in
Computer aided chemical engineering  
Number in series
43
Start Page
325
End Page
330
Citation
Computer Aided Chemical Engineering 43: 325-330 (2018)
Contribution to Conference
28th European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering, ESCAPE 2018  
Publisher DOI
10.1016/B978-0-444-64235-6.50060-7
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85049317718
Publisher
Elsevier
ISBN
978-0-444-64235-6
Liquid-liquid extraction has widespread use in industry, e.g., for separation of highly diluted components from fermentation broths. Feasibility and economic operation of the extraction processes depend critically on the selection of a suitable solvent. While the choice for an optimal solvent inherently depends on the overall process performance, common methods for solvent selection focus on much simpler performance indicators which can lead to suboptimal solutions. In order to improve solvent selection, we present a hierarchical approach with successive model refinement. The approach builds on the prediction of thermodynamic properties by COSMO-RS, avoiding the need for experimental data in early conceptual design phase. In the approach, advanced pinch-based shortcut models are combined with rigorous superstructure optimization to determine promising solvent candidates. The approach allows for an evaluation of several thousand potential solvents and identifies highly promising solvents based on the evaluation of process economics for an optimized process. The approach is illustrated for the extraction of γ-valerolactone from an aqueous feed stream.
Subjects
Distillation
Extraction
Optimization
Screening
Solvent
DDC Class
600: Technology