Side rectifiers

Fig. 5.146, the four column sections are rearranged to form a side-rectifier arrangement. ... 

Both the side-rectifier and side-stripper arrangements have been shown to reduce the energy consumption compared with simple two-column arrangements. This results from reduced mixing losses in the first (main) column. As with the first column of the simple sequence, a peak in composition occurs with the middle product. Now, however, advantage of the peak is taken by transferring material to the side-rectifier or side-stripper. 

Introduce complex distillation configurations. Introduce prefractionation arrangements (with or without thermal coupling), side-rectifiers, and side-strippers to the extent that operability can be... 

Direct sequence pairings should be replaced by side-rectifiers. 

Ydibierschky Three-Column Sequence. If only simple columns are used, ie, no side-streams, side-rectifiers/strippers etc, then the separation sequence can be completed by adding an entrainer recovery column, column 3 in Figure 19a, to recycle the entrainer, and a preconcentrator column (column 1) to bring the feed to the azeotropic column up to the composition of the binary azeotrope. 

The side-rectifier and side-stripper arrangements have some important degrees of freedom for optimization. In these arrangements, there are four column sections. For the side-rectifier, the degrees of freedom to be optimized are ... 

A simple model for side-rectifiers suitable for shortcut calculation is shown in Figure 11.12. The side-rectifier can be modeled as two columns in the thermally coupled direct sequence. The first column is a conventional column with a condenser and partial reboiler. The second column is modeled as a sidestream column, with a vapor sidestream one stage below the feed stage4. The liquid entering the reboiler and vapor leaving can be calculated from vapor-liquid equilibrium (see Chapter 4). The vapor and liquid streams at the bottom of the first column can then be matched with the feed and sidestream of the second column to allow the calculations for the second column to be carried out. 

Figure 11.12 A side-rectifier can be modeled as a sequence of two simple columns in the direct sequence.

The optimization can be carried out using nonlinear optimization techniques such as SQP (see Chapter 3). The nonlinear optimization has the problems of local optima if techniques such as SQP are used for the optimization. Constraints need to be added to the optimization in order that a mass balance can be maintained and the product specifications achieved. The optimization of the side-rectifier and side-stripper in a capital-energy trade-off determines the distribution of plates, the reflux ratios in the main and sidestream columns and condition of the feed. If a partitioned side-rectifier (Figure ll.lOd) or partitioned side-stripper (Figure 11.lid) is to be used, then the ratio of the vapor flowrates on each side of the partition can be used to fix the location of the partition across the column. The partition is located such that the ratio of areas on each side of the partition is the same as the optimized ratio of vapor flowrates on each side of the partition. However, the vapor split for the side-rectifier will only follow this ratio if the pressure drop on each side of the partition is the... 

As with side-rectifiers and side-strippers, the partition wall should be insulated to avoid heat transfer across the wall as different separations are carried out on each side of the wall and the temperatures on each side will differ. Heat transfer across the wall will have an overall detrimental effect on column performance6. 

Although side-stripper arrangements have been routinely used in the petroleum industry and side-rectifiers in air separation, designers have been reluctant to use the fully thermally coupled arrangements in practical applications until recently12 15 16. 

The partitioned thermally coupled prefractionator in Figure 11.14c can be simulated using the arrangement in Figure 11.14b as the basis of the simulation. However, like side-rectifiers and side-strippers, fully thermally coupled columns have some important degrees of freedom for optimization. In the fully thermally coupled column, there are six column sections (above and below the partition, above and below the feed in the prefractionator and above and below the sidestream from the main column side of the partition). The degrees of freedom to be optimized in partitioned columns are ... 

Consider now ways in which the best arrangement of a distillation sequence can be determined more systematically. Given the possibilities for changing the sequence of simple columns or the introduction of prefractionators, side-strippers, side-rectifiers and fully thermally coupled arrangements, the problem is complex with many structural options. The problem can be addressed using the optimization of a superstructure. As discussed in Chapter 1, this approach starts by setting up a grand flowsheet in which all structural features for an optimal solution are embedded. 

The use of complex columns (side-strippers, side-rectifiers and thermally coupled prefractionators) reduces the overall heat duties for the separation at the expense of more extreme temperatures for reboiling and condensing. Heat integration benefits from smaller duties, but more extreme temperatures make the heat integration more difficult). 

Consider the use of a side-rectifier or side-stripper for the separation of a three-product mixture. Assume that thermally coupled columns operate at the same pressure. Also, assume the feed to be saturated liquid. Data for the operation of the two arrangements are given in Tables 21.9 and 21.10. 

Three thermally coupled schemes have been particularly analyzed. Two of them are fairly similar and make use of a main column and a side column. One can use a side extraction in the vapor phase from the first column and feed it to a side rectifier that purifies the intermediate component. The reboiler of the side column is eliminated by recycling the bottom stream, in the liquid phase, to the first column. The arrangement is known as a thermally coupled distillation system with a side rectifier (TCDS-SR), and its structure is shown in Figure la. If the side extraction from the first column is carried out in the... 

Complex columns are distillation devices that can handle a mixture of minimum three components and deliver more than two products. A complex column consists of a main tower surrounded by additional columns, as prefractionator, side strippers and side rectifiers. As illustration, Figure 3.7 presents five alternatives for separating a ternary mixture ABC ... 

Side-stream rectifier A and C from main column, B as top product of side rectifier. 

However we choose to look at it, a basic distillation column has two control degrees of freedom. When we turn to more complex column configurations with sidestreams, side strippers, side rectifiers, intermediate reboilers and condensers, and the like, we add additional control degrees of freedom. These more complex systems are discussed in Sec. 6.8. 

By eliminating the reboiler and condenser in the prefractionator column in Fig. 13-67a (the column containing sections 1 and 2) we obtain a thermally coupled system, also known as a Petlyuk system, shown in Fig. 13-67b [Petlyuk, Platonov, and Slavinskii, Int. Chem. Eng., 5, 555 (1965)]. Side stripper, side rectifier, and Petlyuk systems can also be built as divided wml columns, as explained in detail in the subsection below on thermally coupled systems. 

FIG. 13-65 a) Direct split configuration, (fo), (c) Side rectifier configurations. 

The development of thermally coupled systems started with attempts to find energy-saving schemes for the separation of ternary mixtures into three products. One of the first industrial applications was the side rectifier configuration for air separation. The side stripper configuration followed naturally. By combining the two we obtain the fully thermally coupled system of Petlyuk, Platonov, and Slavinskii [Int. Chem. Eng., 5, 555 (1965)] see Fig. 13-67h. It consists of the prefractionator which accepts the ternary feed stream followed by the main column that produces the products (product column). 

FIG. 13-69 Dividing wall columns equivalent to a) side rectifier configuration, h) side stripper configuration, (c) thermally coupled system. 

The transition split divides direct-type sphts from indirect-type splits as discussed by Doherty and Malone (Conceptual Desisn of Distillation Systems, 2001, chaps. 4 andS) also see Fidkowski, Doherty, and Malone [AlChE J., 39,1301(1993)]. The upper line in Fig. 13-70 is the minimum vapor flow leaving the reboiler of the main column, which also corresponds to the minimum vapor flow for the entire system since all the vapor for the total wstem is generated by this reboiler. For P = 0 the minimum vapor flow for the entire thermally coupled system (i.e., main column) becomes equal to the minimum vapor flow for the side rectifier system (i.e., main column of the side-rectifier system see Fig. 13-65b or c) (Vsr) for P = 1 it is equal to the minimum vapor flow of the entire side stripper system (Vss) (which is the sum of the vapor flows from both the reboilers in this system see Fig. 13-66h or c). Coincidentally, the values of these two minimum vapor flows are always the same (Vsr), = (Vss)mm- For P = Pr the main column is pinched at both feed locations i.e., the minimum vapor flows for separations A/B and B/C are equal. 

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