A systematic method to synthesize all dividing wall columns for n ‐component separation: Part II

Journal Article · Tue Sep 26 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · AIChE Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/aic.15963· OSTI ID:1394858

Madenoor Ramapriya, Gautham ^[1]; Tawarmalani, Mohit ^[2]; Agrawal, Rakesh ^[1]

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1. School of Chemical Engineering Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907
2. Krannert School of Management Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907

We present a simple rule that, for the first time, enables exhaustive enumeration of dividing wall columns (DWCs) corresponding to any given thermally coupled distillation column‐configuration. With the successive application of our rule, every partition in a DWC can be extended all the way to the top and/or to the bottom of a column without losing thermodynamic equivalence to the original thermally coupled configuration. This leads to easy‐to‐operate DWCs with possible control/regulation of each and every vapor split by external means. As a result, we conclude that any given DWC can be transformed into a thermodynamically equivalent form that is easy‐to‐operate, and hence, there always exists at least one easy‐to‐operate DWC for any given thermally coupled distillation. Our method of enumerating and identifying easy‐to‐operate DWCs for an attractive thermally coupled configuration will contribute toward process intensification by providing ways to implement efficient and low‐cost multicomponent distillations. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J , 64: 660–672, 2018

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: NONE; EE0005768
• OSTI ID: 1394858
• Journal Information: AIChE Journal, Journal Name: AIChE Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 64; ISSN 0001-1541
• Publisher: Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English