Comparison of energy consumption in five heat-integrated distillation configurations

Abstract

Five different configurations of two-column, heat-integrated distillation systems were compared on the basis of energy consumption. A binary system of methanol-water was studied over a wide range of feed compositions. For high methanol concentrations in the feed, there was little difference in energy requirements o three of the heat-integrated systems. For low methanol concentrations in the feed, the best configuration was the one that featured heat integration in the reverse direction to process flows, total feed in the first column, and partial removal of methanol in each column.