Separation Performance Evaluation of a Multicomponent Industrial Scale Distillation Column Using Modified Equilibrium Model Based on Multicomponent Efficiency Calculations

Document Type : Review

Authors

1 Chemical engineering, oil, gas faculty, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

2 NFCRS, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

In this study, a multicomponent industrial column for separating i-butane/n-butane is simulated based on multicomponent efficiencies. Simulations are performed at steady state with the calculation of Murphree point and plate efficiencies of individual components. The multicomponent point efficiencies are computed using the multicomponent mass transfer and the two-film theory. The plate efficiencies are calculated from point efficiencies when the degree of mixing in the plates have been determined. Finally, the plate efficiencies incorporate into the equilibrium relations. As the description of liquid mixing on the plates plays an important role in the prediction of efficiencies, in the present work various liquid mixing models are investigated and results for the composition of products and temperature profile are compared with reported measured data. Comparisons confirm that the partial liquid mixing and plug flow models are able to predict column condition with good accuracy, so that the discrepancy between the experimental data and simulation results is about 0. 5% and 21% for the plate temperatures and composition of products, respectively.

Keywords


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