Multicomponent homogeneous azeotropic distillation 1. Assessing product feasibility

A new method for estimating the feasibility of a pair of product compositions from a single-feed, two-product distillation column is proposed. This method is particularly useful for columns that separate azeotropic mixtures of more than four components, where existing feasibility tests are limited in their applicability. Feasibility is determined using geometric principles, which are expressed numerically. The method therefore does not require visual aids and is applicable to mixtures containing more than four components, where graphical representation is not possible. The new feasibility test is extended to test the feasibility of a proposed class of split, which is defined by the specification of product regions, or sets of product compositions. Classes of splits are used extensively in the development of a column sequence synthesis procedure, which will be presented in a further work.

[1]  S. T. Harding,et al.  Locating all homogeneous azeotropes in multicomponent mixtures , 1997 .

[2]  John Mann,et al.  Ullmann's encyclopaedia of industrial chemistry , 1991 .

[3]  Francisco J. L. Castillo,et al.  Homogeneous Azeotropic Distillation. 1. Design Procedure for Single-Feed Columns at Nontotal Reflux , 1998 .

[4]  A. W. Westerberg,et al.  The product composition regions of single-feed azeotropic distillation columns , 1992 .

[5]  Robert W. Maier,et al.  Reliable computation of homogeneous azeotropes , 1998 .

[6]  Megan Jobson,et al.  Multicomponent homogeneous azeotropic distillation. 3. Column sequence synthesis. , 2001 .

[7]  A. Vogelpohl.  Rektifikation von Dreistoffgemischen. Teil 1: Rektifikation als Stoffaustauschvorgang und Rektifikationslinien idealer Gemische , 1964 .

[8]  Arthur W. Westerberg,et al.  Algorithm for Generating the Distillation Regions for Azeotropic Multicomponent Mixtures , 1997 .

[9]  M. Doherty,et al.  Design and synthesis of homogeneous azeotropic distillations. 1. Problem formulation for a single column , 1985 .

[10]  Michael F. Malone,et al.  Computing all homogeneous and heterogeneous azeotropes in multicomponent mixtures , 1999 .

[11]  Megan Jobson,et al.  Multicomponent homogeneous azeotropic distillation. 2. Column design , 2001 .

[12]  Paul I. Barton,et al.  Homogeneous multicomponent azeotropic batch distillation , 1996 .

[13]  Michael F. Malone,et al.  Structure of Distillation Regions for Multicomponent Azeotropic Mixtures , 1998 .

[14]  Johann Stichlmair,et al.  Distillation and Rectification , 2000 .

[15]  M. F. Malone,et al.  Computing azeotropes in multicomponent mixtures , 1993 .

[16]  Michael F. Doherty,et al.  Geometric behavior and minimum flows for nonideal multicomponent distillation , 1990 .