Automatic synthesis of distillation processes for the separation of azeotropic multi-component systems

Publikationstyp
Conference Paper
Date Issued
2019-06
Sprache
English
Author(s)
Sasi, Thulasi  
Wesselmann, J.  
Kuhlmann, Hanns  
Skiborowski, Mirko  orcid-logo
TORE-URI
http://hdl.handle.net/11420/8139
First published in
Computer aided chemical engineering  
Number in series
46
Start Page
49
End Page
54
Citation
Computer Aided Chemical Engineering 46: 49-54 (2019)
Contribution to Conference
29th European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering, ESCAPE 2019  
Publisher DOI
10.1016/B978-0-12-818634-3.50009-6
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85069749637
Publisher
Elsevier
ISBN
978-0-12-818634-3
The synthesis of distillation processes for azeotropic systems is a complex task for which commercial simulation software mainly offers a graphical analysis of residue curve maps for ternary (sub)systems or an iterative evaluation based on tedious simulation studies. The current work presents a novel algorithmic approach that aims at an automatic synthesis of distillation-based separation processes for azeotropic systems. Building only on a thermodynamic model of the multi-component mixture, split feasibility at both limiting operating conditions of total reflux and reversible distillation are considered. Possible process variants including the integration of suitable recycle streams are automatically generated and stored in a tree structure and the incorporation of an efficient pinch-based shortcut method provides initial estimates of the required energy demand of the generated process variants. The application of the proposed method is illustrated for the separation of a four and five component azeotropic mixture, which allow comparison with previous publications.
Subjects
azeotropic distillation
conceptual design
flowsheet optimization
DDC Class
600: Technology