Rigorous Dynamic Modeling and Simulation of an Industrial Liquid–Liquid Extraction Packed Column for Biodiesel Washing

Abstract

This work focuses on developing a dynamic model of a packed bed column for biodiesel washing. Its development was motivated by increasing problems in these columns when higher amounts of waste cooking oil and other low-quality fatty materials are incorporated as raw materials. This incorporation causes the formulations of raw oil to change significantly, requiring process flexibility and adequate control systems to maintain the product within strict quality standards and prevent operational problems. A detailed rate-based model of a packed column is implemented in gPROMS ModelBuilder, accounting for mass transfer and hydrodynamics phenomena such as holdup, flooding, and phase inversion. The model is compared to data from an industrial unit. The simulation results are in good agreement with the typical concentration values measured in the industrial unit. Using the developed model, the influence of operating parameters and the presence of contamination on the column’s behavior are studied.