Effect of Adjusting Feed Thermal Conditions on the Capacity of Complex Distillation Columns

Abstract

The effect of adjusting feed thermal conditions on the throughput of complex distillation columns was investigated by using the concept of the Fractional utilization of area (FUA) proposed by Liu and Jobson (Chem. Eng. Res. Des, 2004, 82, 3-9). The FUA curve can be used to identify the bottleneck of an existing complex distillation column when the throughput is to be increased. According to the shape of the FUA curve, it can be known that how to adjust feed thermal condition of a complex distillation column to increase its throughput. The results show that the FUA method is a powerful tool for complex distillation column analysis.