Efficiency-based nonequilibrium modeling of industrial-scale multicomponent distillation columns

An efficiency-based nonequilibrium model is proposed to simulate two industrial distillation columns. In this model, the behavior of trays is studied by considering the mass transfer at interphase. The interphase mass transfer is simply evaluated by the simultaneous solution of the vapor material balance equation and the definition of the Murphree efficiency. A MATLAB code is developed to implement the simulation procedure. For verification, the product compositions and plate temperatures are compared with the reported experimental data. The discrepancy of the experimental and simulation results is about 0.5% and 20% for the temperature and the product compositions for both columns, respectively.     

规整填料精馏塔的设计计算

通过大量的文献调研，比较了规整填料精馏塔和板式塔的优缺点，对规整填料精馏塔内压降、传质及液泛时压降的计算公式进行了比较，总结出设计计算规整填料精馏塔的步骤与方法，为规整填料精馏塔的应用提供了基础。     

Performance of packings for water distillation

Distillation of water has been investigated in packed columns of 300, 500 and 750 mm diameter. Both ordered packings (Goodloe, Mellapak and Sulzer CY) and random packings (Hy-Pak, Mini-ring and Pall-ring) were studied and performance compared. It was found that, with surface treatments, phosphor bronze packings show good performance and insignificant scale-up factors. Plastic materials are not suitable for water distillation because of their poor wetting characteristics.     

低表面张力物系在规整填料塔中的传质性能

为了研究低表面张力物系在高比表面积的规整填料塔中的流体力学性能和传质性能,选用正庚烷-甲基环己烷物系,在内径400mm的不锈钢精馏塔中对Mellapak 500Y和750Y型规整填料进行全回流精馏实验。通过测定气相负荷从小到大直至液泛的过程,得到了不同操作条件下的压降、泛点气速、传质效率的数据,给定了操作的极限。结果表明:750Y填料的传质效率优于500Y填料,但稳定性比500Y填料差,处理量比500Y填料小。且实验中气相负荷递增变化时的传质效率略低于气相负荷递减变化时的传质效率。同时,为了考察传质效率随塔高的变化,填料塔在不同高度处设置了4个取样口,测定了不同取样口中样品的组成。通过分析传质效率随塔高的变化,阐述了不同负荷范围内气相总体积传质系数沿塔高的变化规律。     

Flexible distillation test rig on a laboratory scale for characterization of additively manufactured packings

Additive manufacturing is increasingly being used to develop innovative packings for absorption and desorption columns. Since distillation has not been in focus so far, this article aims to fill this gap. The objective is to obtain a miniaturized three dimensional (3D) printed packed column with optimized properties in terms of scalability and reproducibility, which increases process development efficiency. For this purpose, a flexible laboratory scale test rig is presented combining standard laboratory equipment with 3D printed components such as innovative multifunctional trays or the column wall with packing. The test rig offers a particularly wide operating range for column diameters between and . First results regarding the time to reach steady-state, operational stability, and separation efficiency measurements are presented using a 3D printable version of the Rombopak 9M. Currently, further developed and newly designed packing structures are being characterized, which should exhibit optimized properties especially with respect to scalability and separation efficiency.     

Rigorous design of distillation columns using surrogate models based on Kriging interpolation

The economic design of a distillation column or distillation sequences is a challenging problem that has been addressed by superstructure approaches. However, these methods have not been widely used because they lead to mixed‐integer nonlinear programs that are hard to solve, and require complex initialization procedures. In this article, we propose to address this challenging problem by substituting the distillation columns by Kriging‐based surrogate models generated via state of the art distillation models. We study different columns with increasing difficulty, and show that it is possible to get accurate Kriging‐based surrogate models. The optimization strategy ensures that convergence to a local optimum is guaranteed for numerical noise‐free models. For distillation columns (slightly noisy systems), Karush–Kuhn–Tucker optimality conditions cannot be tested directly on the actual model, but still we can guarantee a local minimum in a trust region of the surrogate model that contains the actual local minimum. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 2169–2187, 2015     

In-situ cleaning of packings in water distillation column with a surfactant

A novel method for the in-situ cleaning of fouled packing by injecting a suitable surfactant into a water distillation column has been examined. Experiments were carried out to determine the effectiveness of such a surfactant. Test data indicate that the injection of a low foaming non-volatile surfactant, Triton CF-32, in the feed water results in a significant improvement in the efficiency of a contaminated packing. It was found that the packing can be restored to its new conditions if the injection is maintained for a sufficient period of time. The surfactant can be easily removed from the bottoms product either by evaporation of the heavy water or carbon adsorption of the surfactant.     

膜结构填料涂覆改性对精馏分离异丙醇/水体系的影响

采用聚二甲基硅氧烷(PDMS)对聚砜(PSf)、聚偏氟乙烯(PVDF)两种不同材料中空纤维膜结构填料进行了疏水涂覆改性,并研究了改性前后膜结构填料在异丙醇/水体系精馏分离中的材料性能变化。实验结果表明:PDMS涂覆使PVDF膜的分离效果提高了约20%,但使PSf膜的分离效果下降3%~10%。经涂覆后,膜结构填料的传质单元高度均在20 cm以下,最小可达5 cm左右;所有膜结构填料均可突破传统精馏操作弹性限制,其传质时间小于10 s,水力学特性和传质效率更优。     

Experimental validation of thermal model of a double slope active solar still under natural circulation mode

In this paper, thermal modeling of a double slope active solar still has been carried out on the basis of energy balance of east and west glass covers, water mass and basin liner under natural circulation mode. The thermal model of distillation system has been validated for hourly data for inner and outer glass cover temperatures, water temperature and the yield. The hourly thermal and exergy efficiency of active solar still have also been evaluated for 0.03 m water depth. It has been observed that the thermal efficiency of double slope active solar still is lower than the thermal efficiency of double slope passive solar still. However, the exergy efficiency of double slope active solar still is higher than the exergy efficiency of double slope passive solar still. All numerical calculations have been performed for a typical day in the month of March 2008 for the composite climate of Ghaziabad (28°40′N, 77°25′E), U.P, India.     

高通量催化精馏规整填料的流体力学性能

介绍了一种可应用于催化精馏工艺的高通量催化精馏规整填料(HCCP),并对其流体力学性能进行了研究与讨论。以空气-水物系为介质在内径为400 mm的冷模精馏塔内进行实验,测量了该填料的干湿塔压降、持液量等流体力学性能。高通量催化精馏规整填料在结构方面进行了改进,使催化剂装填量可控,实验结果表明:填料在降低塔内压降、增加通量方面具有明显优势。最后对实验数据进行回归,获得经验关联式;实验测量值与公式计算结果吻合较好,这表明,数据回归获得的关联式可用于预测一定操作条件下填料的流体力学性能,用于工业实践及设备放大。     

A globally convergent method for finding all steady‐state solutions of distillation columns

A globally convergent method is proposed that either returns all solutions to steady‐state models of distillation columns or proves their infeasibility. Initial estimates are not required. The method requires a specific but fairly general block‐sparsity pattern; in return, the computational efforts grow linearly with the number of stages in the column. The well‐known stage‐by‐stage (and the sequential modular) approach also reduces the task of solving high‐dimensional steady‐state models to that of solving a sequence of low‐dimensional ones. Unfortunately, these low‐dimensional systems are extremely sensitive to the initial estimates, so that solving them can be notoriously difficult or even impossible. The proposed algorithm overcomes these numerical difficulties by a new reparameterization technique. The successful solution of a numerically challenging reactive distillation column with seven steady‐states shows the robustness of the method. No published software known to the authors could compute all solutions to this difficult model without expert tuning. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J 60: 410–414, 2014     

Conceptual design of distillation processes for mixtures with distillation boundaries. II. Optimization of recycle policies

Geometric design methods for the conceptual design of azeotropic distillation processes are fast and efficient tools for the economic screening of different process alternatives. The second article of this two‐part series presents a novel optimization‐based conceptual design framework for azeotropic distillation processes, which allows a rapid screening of the different process alternatives with respect to feasibility and economic incentive. The design framework is based on the economic assessment of distillation columns by the rectification body method. The feasibility limits imposed by the azeotropes are incorporated using the split feasibility test introduced in the first part of this series. The application of the framework is highlighted with several ternary and quaternary process alternatives for the production of high‐purity alcohols. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011     

A new approach to fluid separation modelling in the columns equipped with structured packings

An analogy between the flow patterns in real separation columns equipped with structured packing and film flow is used to develop a new modelling approach. The packing is represented as a bundle of channels with identical triangular cross section. The dimensions of the channels as well as their number are derived from the packing geometry. The channel inner surface is wetted by a liquid flowing downwards, whereas the rest of the volume is occupied by a countercurrent vapour flow. Both phases are assumed to be totally mixed at regular intervals, determined by the corrugation geometry of the packing. The mathematical model is based on a set of partial differential equations describing hydrodynamics and mass and heat transport phenomena. These equations are complemented by the conjugate boundary conditions at the phase interface. A numerical solution of the model yields velocity profiles as well as concentration and temperature fields throughout the column. The model is verified using experimental data for a binary distillation in a column equipped with Montz-Pak A3-500.     

催化精馏技术的进展概况

对催化精馏过程的进展进行了综述。介绍了催化精馏塔、催化剂的装填方式、催化精馏塔数学模型的研究现状。     

规整填料塔多元蒸馏过程混合型模型的模拟

填料塔精馏过程的模拟设计大多采用平衡级模型,但由于单一板效率值的难以确定,很多场合模拟很不成功;而新提出的非平衡级模型认为塔内传质传热均处于非平衡状态,由于方程数和经验性参数多,模型求解非常困难。文章针对规整填料的特点,建立了规整填料塔蒸馏过程的一种混合型模型,模型的主要特征是认为气液二相传质处于不平衡状态,而传热处于平衡状态。模型建立在实际填料基础上,既舍去传统的平衡级模型不确定性,又省略了非平衡级模型中复杂的经验性传热系数和液相传质系数的计算。模型计算值和实验值符合较好,也证实混合型模型既反映实际,又使模型求解变得相对容易。     

FGP型填料的开发及在甲醇精馏节能减排中的应用

设计开发了新型导流型填料（FGP-A、FGP-B型填料）,在冷模实验塔中以氧气-空气-水作为介质,研究分析了其流体力学与传质性能,并在相同实验条件下与Mellapak125X填料进行对比。实验结果表明,相同比表面积的FGP-A、FGP-B型填料干塔压降分别平均降低22.94%及31.99%;湿塔压降分别平均降低41.48%和47.32%;液泛气速分别平均提高4.93%及7.76%;每米填料理论级数分别平均提高26.72%和22.78%。同时结合FGP型填料流体力学与传质性能的特点,进一步将其应用到10万t/a甲醇精馏工段中。结果表明,应用FGP型填料后冷凝器热负荷降低16.01%,每年可节省冷却水461.10 kt;再沸器热负荷降低26.30%,相当于减排二氧化碳6651.83 t/a。。     

高通量催化精馏填料的停留时间分布研究

介绍了高通量催化精馏规整填料(HCCP),是一种模块化催化精馏规整填料。停留时间分布(RTD)是催化精馏填料的重要性能参数,同时影响着填料的分离效果和塔内化学反应的进行,着重研究了高通量催化精馏填料的RTD问题。实验在内径为400 mm的冷模塔内进行,常温常压下以空气-水为介质,氯化钠水溶液作为示踪剂,通过脉冲注入的扰动-响应技术获得RTD曲线。采用轴向扩散模型分析RTD曲线,可得出模型参数彼克列数PeL及填料的持液量、轴向扩散因子Dax。结果表明,该填料内的返混现象较轻微。分析计算的结果即可用于填料性能的评价,为填料的进一步改进提供理论基础;也可用于催化精馏塔的设计和优化。     

用可视化方法实验研究规整填料的局部传质(英文)

A chromochemical reactive mass transfer technique has been employed to study local mass transfer characteristics of structured packing. This technology adopted by experiment is an Ammonia Adsorption Method (AAM) that yields the surface distribution of transferred mass by analyzing the color distribution on a filter paper with the results of the color chemical reaction. A digital image processing technology is applied for data visualiza-tion. The three-dimensional plot of the local mass transfer coefficients shows that there exist three peak values on different positions of a unit cell of structured packing. In order to improve mass transfer efficiency of the structured packing, one piece of baffle is added between packing sheets. As a result, the average mass transfer coefficient in-creases by (10-20)% and the pressure drop decreases by (15-55)%.     

Influence of heat transfer across the wall of dividing wall columns on energy demand

The implementation of a vertical dividing wall (DW) into a distillation column is a well‐known concept which can result in considerable energy savings for the separation of multicomponent mixtures. It is commonly known that heat streams across the DW, which are present due to temperature differences between both sides, may either increase or decrease the energy demand for a certain separation task. However, no work has been published so far which explains the maximum influence on energy demand. This article derives the maximum extent to which the minimum energy demand for a given column design can change due to heat transfer across the DW. Additionally, it is illustrated how energy‐efficient column operation can be assured even if the total amount of transferred heat is unknown. These results show that the phenomenon of heat transfer across the DW can be handled very well with a suitable control strategy. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 1648–1662, 2015