Controllability Evaluation for Reactive Distillation Columns with Multiple Reactive Sections Disproportionating Trichlorosilane to Silane

Abstract

In our recent work, the arrangement of multiple reactive sections is found to greatly enhance the steady-state performance of reactive distillation columns disproportionating trichlorosilane to silane. In the current research, process dynamics and controllability are studied through in-depth comparative analysis of open-loop and closed-loop behaviors between three reactive distillation columns with, respectively, a single reactive section (RDC-SRS), double reactive sections (RDC-DRS), and triple reactive sections (RDC-TRS). In the regulation path, although the arrangement of double and triple reactive sections reduces slightly the process gains between the bottom product composition and reboiler heat duty in the RDC-DRS and RDC-TRS, it helps to alleviate the coupling between the bottom product composition and reflux flow rate, thereby gaining increases in process controllability as compared with the RDC-SRS. In the disturbance path, the arrangement of double and triple reactive sections results in no intensified sensitivities to the disturbances from feed flow rate and composition. The closed-loop operation tests coincide with the open-loop analysis and demonstrate that the RDC-TRS and RDC-DRS exhibit substantially improved antidisturbance and set-point tracking capabilities as compared with the RDC-SRS. These outcomes highlight evidently the great importance of arranging multiple reactive sections to the dynamics and controllability of reactive distillation columns separating reacting mixtures with unfavorable and complicated reaction kinetics.

Ni-Ni3P/SiO2 Catalyst for Highly Selective Production of Silicon Tetrachloride via Silicon Hydrochlorination

“…Trichlorosilane (SiHCl 3 or TCS) and silicon tetrachloride (SiCl 4 or STC) are the most important chlorosilanes in the silicon industry. TCS is the main chemical feedstock to produce high-purity crystalline Si for solar cells , and is also widely used in manufacturing silane, , silane coupling agents, polymers, phenyltrichlorosilane, Si nanowires, and Schottky diodes, as well as in the reduction of imines , and ketones . STC has been widely used to produce silica nanoparticles, silica aerogels, Si compounds, Si nanoparticles, − thin-film Si, , polysilicon semiconductors, , optical fiber inner core material, high-purity quartz glass, , and inorganic silicides …”

Advancements in Optimization and Control Techniques for Intensifying Processes

“…If the purities of the products cannot be maintained at their desired specifications, other alternative control structures should be explored such as the controlling the tray temperature using a fixed reflux ratio [86], or implementing dual temperature control [99], dual temperature difference control [100,101], feedforward control [95,99,102], pressure compensated temperature control [85,88,100], or some other advanced control strategies [93]. In addition, it is worth mentioning that in some processes, there is more than one sensitive tray temperature (Figure 5b), and the Relative Gain Array (RGA) method should be used for determining the best control pairing (e.g., to determine whether to pair the tray temperature control using the reboiler duty or the reflux ratio) [103,104].…”

A combination of low‐temperature reactive and extractive distillation for methoxy‐2‐propyl acetate synthesis and separation process: simulations and experiments

“…The results showed that the selectivity in the reactive distillation was 21% higher than that in the batch reactor. Moreover, the reactive distillation method could simultaneously achieve reaction and separation goals, which also reduced the investment and operating costs …”

“…Moreover, the reactive distillation method could simultaneously achieve reaction and separation goals, which also reduced the investment and operating costs. [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] In the MPA reaction and separation system, there existed three kinds of binary azeotropes, namely MP-H 2 O, 26 MP-HAC 27 and MPA-H 2 O 4 mixtures, which increased the difficulties of the reactive distillation operation. Therefore a combination of extractive and reactive distillation was developed to separate the generated H 2 O from the system.…”