A review on process intensification in internally heat-integrated distillation columns

Internally heat-integrated distillation column (HIDiC) is the most radical approach of a heat pump design, making efficient use of internal heat-integration: the rectifying section of a distillation column operating at a higher pressure becomes the heat source, while the stripping part of the column acts as a heat sink. Remarkably, a HIDIC can bring up to 70% energy savings compared to conventional distillation columns. This is highly appealing regarding the fact that distillation is one of the most energy intensive operations in the chemical process industry accounting for over 40% of the energy usage. This review paper describes the latest developments concerning this promising but difficult to implement process intensification technology, covering all the major aspects related to the working principle, thermodynamic analysis, potential energy savings, various design configurations and construction options (ranging from inter-coupled or concentric columns, shell and tube and plate–fin heat exchanger columns to SuperHIDiC), design optimization, process control and operation issues, as well as pilot-scale and potential industrial applications. Further advancement, i.e., development of HIDiC technology for multi-component mixture separations is an extremely challenging research topic, especially when HIDiC becomes associated with other technologies such as dividing-wall column (DWC) or reactive distillation (RD).

[1]  Ž. Olujić,et al.  Enhancing Thermodynamic Efficiency of Energy Intensive Distillation Columns via Internal Heat Integration , 2008 .

[2]  Laureano Jiménez,et al.  A thermo-hydraulic approach to conceptual design of an internally heat-integrated distillation column (i-HIDiC) , 2007, Comput. Chem. Eng..

[3]  Masaru Nakaiwa,et al.  Process Systems Engineering. The Concept of an Ideal Heat Integrated Distillation Column(HIDiC) and its Fundamental Properties. , 1996 .

[4]  Rakesh Agrawal,et al.  Energy Efficiency Limitations of the Conventional Heat Integrated Distillation Column (HIDiC) Configuration for Binary Distillation , 2011 .

[5]  Ž. Olujić,et al.  Conceptual design of an internally heat integrated propylene-propane splitter , 2006 .

[6]  Rakesh Govind,et al.  Study on a Continuous Heat Integrated Distillation Column , 1987 .

[7]  Juan Gabriel Segovia-Hernández,et al.  Design and Optimization of Heat-Integrated Distillation Column Schemes through a New Robust Methodology Coupled with a Boltzmann-Based Estimation of Distribution Algorithm , 2014 .

[8]  M. Nakaiwa,et al.  Energy saving in multicomponent separation using an internally heat-integrated distillation column (HIDiC) , 2006 .

[9]  Masaru Nakaiwa,et al.  DYNAMICS OF IDEAL HEAT INTEGRATED DISTILLATION COLUMNS , 1996 .

[10]  Keigo Matsuda,et al.  Recent Advances in Internally Heat-Integrated Distillation Columns (HIDiC) for Sustainable Development , 2012 .

[11]  Ž. Olujić,et al.  Reducing CO2 emissions of internally heat-integrated distillation columns for separation of close boiling mixtures , 2006 .

[12]  Ricardo Rivero.  Exergy simulation and optimization of adiabatic and diabatic binary distillation , 2001 .

[14]  J. Segovia-Hernández,et al.  Assessment of the Implementation of Heat-Integrated Distillation Columns for the Separation of Ternary Mixtures , 2011 .

[15]  Ž. Olujić,et al.  The structured heat integrated distillation column , 2012 .

[16]  Masaru Nakaiwa,et al.  ENERGY-SAVING CHARACTERISTICS OF HEAT INTEGRATED DISTILLATION COLUMN TECHNOLOGY APPLIED TO MULTI-COMPONENT PETROLEUM DISTILLATION , 2006 .

[17]  Hossein Shahandeh,et al.  Internal and external HIDiCs (heat-integrated distillation columns) optimization by genetic algorithm , 2014 .

[18]  Amiya K. Jana,et al.  A New Intensified Heat Integration in Distillation Column , 2010 .

[19]  Masaru Nakaiwa,et al.  Internally Heat-Integrated Distillation Columns: A Review , 2003 .

[20]  Keigo Matsuda,et al.  Consider heat integration to improve separation performance : Innovative approaches gain efficiency for distillation operations , 2008 .

[21]  J. C. Campbell,et al.  Comparison of Energy Usage for the Vacuum Separation of Acetic Acid/Acetic Anhydride Using an Internally Heat Integrated Distillation Column (HIDiC) , 2008 .

[22]  Carlos A. Infante Ferreira,et al.  Towards energy efficient distillation technologies – Making the right choice , 2012 .

[23]  B. Suphanit,et al.  Optimal heat distribution in the internally heat-integrated distillation column (HIDiC) , 2011 .

[24]  Karl Heinz Hoffmann,et al.  The Influence of Heat Transfer Irreversibilities on the Optimal Performance of Diabatic Distillation Columns , 2002 .

[25]  J. L. Seibert A.F. Humphrey,et al.  Separation technologies: Advances and priorities , 1991 .

[26]  Ž. Olujić,et al.  Equipment improvement trends in distillation , 2009 .

[27]  Hsiao-Ping Huang,et al.  Design and Control of a Heat-Integrated Reactive Distillation System for the Hydrolysis of Methyl Acetate , 2010 .

[28]  Anton A. Kiss,et al.  Advanced Distillation Technologies: Design, Control and Applications , 2013 .

[29]  Ricardo Rivero,et al.  Exergy analysis of distillation processes , 1996 .

[30]  Richard S.H. Mah,et al.  Fractionating condensation and evaporation in plate‐fin devices , 1986 .

[31]  Manabu Kano,et al.  Dynamics and Control of Heat Integrated Distillation Column (HIDiC) , 2006 .

[32]  Shinji Hasebe,et al.  Design of heat integrated distillation column by using H-xy and T-xy diagrams , 2013, Comput. Chem. Eng..

[33]  Yasuki Kansha,et al.  Process design methodology for high‐energy saving HIDiC based on self‐heat recuperation , 2011 .

[35]  J. de Graauw,et al.  Internal heat integration – the key to an energy‐conserving distillation column , 2003 .

[36]  Akira Endo,et al.  Operation of a bench-scale ideal heat integrated distillation column (HIDiC): an experimental study , 2000 .

[37]  S. Kjelstrup,et al.  Positioning heat exchangers in binary tray distillation using isoforce operation , 2002 .

[38]  Qunxiong Zhu,et al.  A totally heat-integrated distillation column (THIDiC) – the effect of feed pre-heating by distillate , 2008 .

[39]  Colin Pritchard,et al.  Heat Transfer at the Surface of Sieve Trays , 2005 .

[40]  Richard S.H. Mah,et al.  Distillation with secondary reflux and vaporization: A comparative evaluation , 1977 .

[41]  Richard S.H. Mah,et al.  Improving distillation column design using thermodynamic availability analysis , 1980 .

[42]  J. D. Seader,et al.  Continuous distillation apparatus and method. Final report , 1984 .

[43]  Daniel Tondeur,et al.  Equipartition of entropy production. An optimality criterion for transfer and separation processes , 1987 .

[44]  Yasuki Kansha,et al.  Advanced energy saving in distillation process with self-heat recuperation technology , 2010 .

[45]  Masaru Nakaiwa,et al.  Energy savings in heat-integrated distillation columns , 1997 .

[46]  Mamdouh A. Gadalla,et al.  Pinch Analysis-Based Approach to Conceptual Design of Internally Heat-Integrated Distillation Columns , 2005 .

[47]  Amiya K. Jana,et al.  A novel intensified heat integration in multicomponent distillation , 2012 .

[48]  J. P. Schmal,et al.  Internal Versus External Heat Integration: Operational and Economic Analysis , 2006 .

[49]  Qunxiong Zhu,et al.  Temperature control of an ideal heat-integrated distillation column (HIDiC) , 2007 .

[50]  H. R. Null.  Heat pumps in distillation , 1976 .

[51]  Masaru Nakaiwa,et al.  Development on a coaxial heat integrated distillation column (HIDiC) , 2000 .

[52]  George E. Keller,et al.  Separation Process Technology , 1997 .

[53]  R. Maciel Filho,et al.  Heat Integrated Reactive Distillation Column (r-hidic): Implementing a New Technology Distillation , 2011 .

[54]  Jixin Qian,et al.  Modeling, Control, and Optimization of Ideal Internal Thermally Coupled Distillation Columns , 2000 .

[55]  A. De Rijke.  Development of a concentric internally heat integrated distillation column (HIDiC) , 2007 .

[56]  Anton A. Kiss,et al.  Distillation technology - still young and full of breakthrough opportunities , 2014 .

[57]  Amiya K. Jana,et al.  Introducing vapor recompression mechanism in heat‐integrated distillation column: Impact of internal energy driven intermediate and bottom reboiler , 2015 .

[58]  Masaru Nakaiwa,et al.  Parameter analysis and optimization of ideal heat integrated distillation columns , 2001 .

[59]  Masaru Nakaiwa,et al.  A Numerical Consideration on Dynamic Modeling and Control of Ideal Heat Integrated Distillation Columns , 1996 .

[60]  Akira Endo,et al.  Performance of an Internally Heat-Integrated Distillation Column (HIDiC) in Separation of Ternary Mixtures , 2006 .

[61]  Mamdouh A. Gadalla.  Internal heat integrated distillation columns (iHIDiCs)—New systematic design methodology , 2009 .