Optimizations and heat integrations on the separation of toluene and 1-butanol azeotropic mixture by pressure swing distillation

ABSTRACT

In this study, optimizations on separation of Toluene and 1-Butanol mixture is carried out by pressure swing distillation process. New heat integration methods are applied and compared to conventional PSD process by using vapor recompression technique combined with pressure swing distillation process. New heat integration methods show positive results to decrease the utilities used in the process. A simulator Aspen HYSYS V8.4 is used for simulating all processes. Cost analysis is also performed and Aspen HYSYS V8.4 optimizer program is used for optimizing profit for the process. Pressure is also optimized for minimum heat duty requirements in the process and the ultimate concern is to minimize the total reboiler heat duties and overall operating cost for the system which results into increasing profit.

KEYWORDS:

• Pressure swing distillation
• heat duty
• heat integration
• cost analysis
• profit optimization

Nomenclature

T	=	= Absolute temperature (K)
P	=	= Pressure (kPa)
R	=	= Gas constant (J/gmole-K)
N	=	= Number of components
V	=	= molar volume (m3/gmol)
PSD	=	= Pressure swing distillation
LP	=	= Low pressure
HP	=	= High pressure
xi and yi	=	= liquid and vapour phase mole fraction of component i and j
	=	= binary coefficients in NRTL model
and	=	= Experimental and calculated dew point temperatures
	=	= Cost of toluene and 1-butanol components in feed
	=	= Flow rate of toluene and 1-butanol components in feed
	=	= Cost of toluene and 1-butanol components in product
	=	= Flow rate of toluene and 1-butanol components in product
	=	= Utility cost
	=	= Equipment capital cost
	=	= Depreciation factor

Additional information

Funding

The work done by the authors has been financially supported by Dongguk University, Seoul, Korea.