Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Azeotropic distillation

Journal Article · · AIChE Journal
 [1];  [2]
  1. Stevens Inst. of Tech., Hoboken, NJ (United States)
  2. Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

Recent and ongoing research in the distillation of nonideal mixtures is reviewed focusing on advances in the methodologies for the synthesis, design, analysis and control of separation sequences involving homogeneous and heterogeneous azeotropic towers. Maps of residue curves and distillation lines are examined, as well as geometric methods for the synthesis and design of separation sequences, trends in the steady-state and dynamic analysis of homogeneous and heterogeneous towers, the nonlinear behavior of these towers, and strategies for their control. Emphasis is placed on the methods of computing all of the azeotropes associated with a multicomponent mixture, on the features that distinguish azeotropic distillations from their zeotropic counterparts, on the potential for steady-state multiplicity, and on the existence of maximum and minimum reflux bounds. Important considerations in the selection of entrainers are examined. For the synthesis of separation trains, when determining the feasible production compositions, the graphical methods are clarified, especially the conditions under which distillation boundaries can be crossed and bounding strategies under finite reflux. The application of geometric theory to locate the fixed points, at minimum reflux, is reviewed in connection with homotopy-continuation algorithms for this purpose. The use of homotopy-continuation algorithms, especially for the steady-state simulation of heterogeneous azeotropic distillations, is justified. Methods for phase stability analysis are reviewed in connection with the location of real bifurcation points at phase transitions, an important feature of algorithms for the dynamic simulation of heterogeneous azeotropic distillations.

OSTI ID:
201433
Journal Information:
AIChE Journal, Journal Name: AIChE Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 42; ISSN 0001-1541; ISSN AICEAC
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Design and synthesis procedure for homogeneous and heterogeneous azeotropic distillations
Technical Report · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1984 · OSTI ID:6307530

Simulation, design, and analysis of azeotropic distillation operations
Journal Article · Wed Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1993 · Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research; (United States) · OSTI ID:6535000

Reliable computation of homogeneous azeotropes
Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1998 · AIChE Journal · OSTI ID:655504