Shortcut Models and Feasibility Considerations for Emerging Batch Distillation Columns

Abstract

The transient nature and flexibility of batch distillation allow for configuring the column in a number of different ways. Some of the new configurations are an inverted column, a middle vessel column, and a multivessel column. These new column configurations have also provided new ways of operation. The preliminary analysis of these emerging columns has shown promising behavior, because of the added flexibility. This added flexibility is especially interesting for a chemical industry where the quantity and lifetime of the products are uncertain, but it has also made the analysis of the system more difficult. Shortcut procedures provide an easy way of understanding the global behavior of complex systems. In this paper the authors are presenting shortcut procedures for the newly described batch distillation column configurations. The transient profiles obtained by the proposed shortcut procedures and rigorous models are compared using extensive test cases. Global qualitative properties and feasibility criteria are derived for these new designs, and a detailed analysis of these configurations is also presented.