Modelling and Simulation Studies of Multiple Packings Distillation Column

Abstract

Large scale separation of liquid mixtures into their various components is one of the major operations in the process industries. Distillation remains one of the predominant separation techniques that is use for these separations. It accounts for about 90% of product recovery and purification in the process industries. The strength of the distillation technique lies on its simplicity, low capital investment, and low risk as compared to other traditional separation techniques. In the present study, the synergistic effects of multiple packings in binary distillation column operations was investigated. The investigation was done using Aspen HYSYS process simulation software. Specifically, the study was done to establish a packing order that will be required to achieve a reduction in energy consumption and the overall cost of separation processes that involve distillation operation. The packed distillation was simulated using Berl saddles, Intalox saddles, and Pall rings as the column internals. Single, dual and triple packing arrangements were evaluated. The multiple packing arrangement investigated were Berl/Intalox, Berl/Pall, Pall/Intalox, and Berl/Intalox/Pall. Binary mixtures of pentane and hexane was used as feed to the column. The results of this simulation revealed that the use of multiple packing arrangement had a significant effect on the energy consumption, the height of packing and hence the cost of equipment fabrication. For instance, the estimated cost of packings (USD) are 524.89 for Berl, 406.85 for Pall, 303.77 for Intallox, 427.09 for Berl/Intalox, 473.06 for Berl/Pall, 323.51 for Pall/Intalox, and 388.60 for Berl/Intalox/Pall. These results clearly revealed that multiple packing arrangements can be used to reduce the cost of column fabrication without compromising the performance of the equipment.