skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: An efficient initialization procedure for simulation and optimization of large distillation problems

Journal Article · · Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ie970270z· OSTI ID:562127
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Technical Univ. of Denmark, Lyngby (Denmark). Dept. of Chemical Engineering
  2. Elf Aquitaine Production, Pau (France)

An efficient initialization procedure for steady-state distillation simulation problems involving a large number of components is presented. The proposed initialization procedure employs lumping and delumping of the components present in the mixture. The problem of initialization is then reduced to a system of component mass balance equations for each plate. The procedure generates good initial estimates and is not time consuming. The method initially developed for petroleum fluids has proven to be efficient also for other hydrocarbon mixtures. This is shown with two series of examples of distillation problems, by comparison with traditional methods of initialization. Two optimization problems solved with a lumped system are also presented and compared to the optimum solution found with the original system.

OSTI ID:
562127
Journal Information:
Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol. 36, Issue 10; Other Information: PBD: Oct 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English