Simulation Of A Thermally-Coupled Column For Separation Of Alcohols

Abstract

The design of an energy saving distillation plant has been carried out. The procedure included all the design of the conventional distillation plant with a deviation from a single column to three-thermally coupled distillation columns. The coupled column was designed by configuring a linkage of three columns together with the overhead and bottoms stream without heat exchangers. The first column was made the prefractionator which evaporates the lightest component; the second column separates both the lightest and middle components, while a last column was connected in the bottom where both the middle and the bottom components were separated. The feed included a 100kgmol/hr and the liquid fraction was one. The relative volatilities of each distillation are 7.5, 5.0, 2.1 and 1.9 for a feed composition of Methanol, Ethanol, n-propanol and i-propanol respectively. Each component has a feed composition of 25%. The recoveries were 66%, 34%, 50% and 50% respectively. Conceivable mixes of parallel blends were made and the base energy was calculated for each. The underwood technique was utilized to get least reflux proportion.