Optimization of the reflux ratio for methanol–water stage distillation column

CATEGORY: DISTILLATION COLUMN
Research on Chemical Intermediates, 2012
Optimization of the reflux ratio for methanol–water stage distillation column
Bahador Abolpour (1)
bahadorabolpor1364@yahoo.com
Roozbeh Abolpour (2)
Arash Shamseddini (1)
Saideh Kamyabi (1)
Farahnaz Hamzehee (3)
1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, 76175 Kerman, Iran
2. Department of Computer Engineering, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
3. Department of Chemistry, Kazeroon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kazeroon, Iran
Abstract
Authors apply the enthalpy-concentration method to model a steady-state continuous methanol–water mixture distillation column.
The work includes three steps:
develop a code in MATLAB v.7.6 to apply to the mathematical model of the column.
simulate the column using HYSIS v.3.2.
perform calculation of the optimized reflux ratio to minimize the operating cost.
For a distillation tower such as the methanol–water splitter in this study, there are relatively few degrees of freedom that can be manipulated in order to minimize operating costs; the reflux ratio can influence the steady-state operating point and therefore the daily costs. Authors discuss trade-offs between reflux ratios and operating costs. They derive a to define the optimum value of the reflux ratio as an exponential function of a certain economic parameter of energy prices and depreciation costs. They demonstrate that, at low energy prices or high equipment depreciation costs, the optimum reflux factor is high.
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