Energy and Economic Optimization of Distillation Sequencing

Abstract

Effective parameters that can effect on the performance of the separation system consist of operating pressure, operating temperature, reflux ratio, and kind of produce desirable products and different sequences of splits. As take a separation system with optimal performance is dependent on optimization of above mentioned effective parameters. In generally, there are two criteria (as object function) for estimating of the performance of the separation systems. These criteria included of measure of energy consumption and design costs (i.e. capital cost, energy cost and total annual cost). From energy saving outlook our purpose is the design of one separation system that operates at minimum rate of energy consumption. Likewise from money saving outlook our purpose to carry out of the design of one separation system that its design costs becomes minimum. In this paper, concentrate more on optimization of distillation sequencing problem with energy consumption and design costs for a multi-component mixture. Hence we studied the various alternative options to separate a multicomponent feed stream consist of C₃, i-C₄, n-C₄, i-C₅, n-C₅, C₆ and C₇.Afer that all of options are compared with each other and ranked based on minimum (or optimum) energy consumption (heating/cooling duties) and design costs. Finally with regard to the effects of operating conditions like operating pressure, temperature and reflux ratio, the optimum separating method has been suggested for this case study.