Single-column distillation

A single-column distillation configuration called Flash Compact System has been proposed which is capable of delivering an equivalent high purity product. The key advantage lies in the lower capital and operating costs. The feed is heated and pre-flashed and then sent to a distillation column as two. separate vapour and liquid feeds. 

Many industrial separations require a series of columns that are connected in specific ways. Some distillation programs can model such a system as a hypothetical single column with arbitrary cross-flows and connections and then carry out the distillation calculations for the modeled hypothetical column. Alternatively, such a system can be modeled as a process flow sheet using a process simulator. 

Cryogenic distillation has been used extensively ia the processiag of natural gas for nitrogen removal and for helium recovery (22—23). Two basic processes are now used for nitrogen rejection from natural gas— the single-column heat-pumped process and the double-column process. Eadier processes utilized multistage flash columns for helium recovery from natural gas (24). 

In the example, the minimum reflux ratio and minimum number of theoretical plates decreased 14- to 33-fold, respectively, when the relative volatiHty increased from 1.1 to 4. Other distillation systems would have different specific reflux ratios and numbers of theoretical plates, but the trend would be the same. As the relative volatiHty approaches unity, distillation separations rapidly become more cosdy in terms of both capital and operating costs. The relative volatiHty can sometimes be improved through the use of an extraneous solvent that modifies the VLE. Binary azeotropic systems are impossible to separate into pure components in a single column, but the azeotrope can often be broken by an extraneous entrainer (see Distillation, A7EOTROPTC AND EXTRACTIVE). 

FIG. 13-2 Complex distillation operations with single columns, a) Use of intermediate heat exchangers, (h) Coupling of intermediate heat exchangers with heat pump, (c) Heat pump with external refrigerant, (d) Heat pump with vapor compression, (e) Heat pump with hottoms flashing. 

Intelligent engineering can drastically improve process selectivity (see Sharma, 1988, 1990) as illustrated in Chapter 4 of this book. A combination of reaction with an appropriate separation operation is the first option if the reaction is limited by chemical equilibrium. In such combinations one product is removed from the reaction zone continuously, allowing for a higher conversion of raw materials. Extractive reactions involve the addition of a second liquid phase, in which the product is better soluble than the reactants, to the reaction zone. Thus, the product is withdrawn from the reactive phase shifting the reaction mixture to product(s). The same principle can be realized if an additive is introduced into the reaction zone that causes precipitation of the desired product. A combination of reaction with distillation in a single column allows the removal of volatile products from the reaction zone that is then realized in the (fractional) distillation zone. Finally, reaction can be combined with filtration. A typical example of the latter system is the application of catalytic membranes. In all these cases, withdrawal of the product shifts the equilibrium mixture to the product. 

As was mentioned in Section 11.2, in multicomponent distillations it is not possible to obtain more than one pure component, one sharp separation, in a single column. If a multicomponent feed is to be split into two or more virtually pure products, several columns will be needed. Impure products can be taken off as side streams and the removal of a side stream from a stage where a minor component is concentrated will reduce the concentration of that component in the main product. 

Where a large number of stages is required, it may be necessary to split a column into two separate columns to reduce the height of the column, even though the required separation could, theoretically, have been obtained in a single column. This may also be done in vacuum distillations, to reduce the column pressure drop and limit the bottom temperatures. 

Part 3 of this book presents a number of major developments and applications of MINLP approaches in the area of Process Synthesis. The illustrative examples for MINLP applications, presented next in this section, will focus on different aspects than those described in Part 3. In particular, we will consider the binary distillation design of a single column, the retrofit design of multiproduct batch plants, and the multicommodity facility location/allocation problem. 

The reactor system may consist of a number of reactors which can be continuous stirred tank reactors, plug flow reactors, or any representation between the two above extremes, and they may operate isothermally, adiabatically or nonisothermally. The separation system depending on the reactor system effluent may involve only liquid separation, only vapor separation or both liquid and vapor separation schemes. The liquid separation scheme may include flash units, distillation columns or trains of distillation columns, extraction units, or crystallization units. If distillation is employed, then we may have simple sharp columns, nonsharp columns, or even single complex distillation columns and complex column sequences. Also, depending on the reactor effluent characteristics, extractive distillation, azeotropic distillation, or reactive distillation may be employed. The vapor separation scheme may involve absorption columns, adsorption units,... 

This chapter concerns the most important reactive separation processes reactive absorption, reactive distillation, and reactive extraction. These operations combining the separation and reaction steps inside a single column are advantageous as compared to traditional unit operations. The three considered processes are similar and at the same time very different. Therefore, their common modeling basis is discussed and their peculiarities are illustrated with a number of industrially relevant case studies. The theoretical description is supported by the results of laboratory-, pilot-, and industrial-scale experimental investigations. Both steady-state and dynamic issues are treated in addition, the design of column internals is addressed. 

The main advantages of batch distillation over a continuous distillation lie in the use of a single column as opposed to multiple columns and its flexible operation. 

Separation of multiple mixtures using a single column is a very common feature in CBD columns (Mujtaba and Macchietto, 1996). If a continuous column were to be used for batch distillation then it would be interesting to evaluate the performance of such column undergoing multiple separation duties. 

The BT mixture can be easily separated by simple distillation in a two-column sequence, or in a single column with side stream. The last alternative is preferred because it is advantageous energetically. The side-stream toluene is usually sent to hydrodealkylation or transalkylation units to increase the yield in benzene and xylenes. The bottom product goes to higher aromatics treatment... 

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