I am trying to learn how to optimize a reactive distillation column. I want to start by solving a simple problem, given in literature, on optimization of reactive distillation, may be by Matlab or Aspen.
I would be thankful if anyone doing research in this field could suggest such a problem.
What chemical reaction/s? What boiling points of reactants? Possible azeotropes? Ideal system or not (easier in case of ideal)? What objective function? Start by answering these questions.
Regards,
Dear Prof. Miroslaw Gresik,
I would like to thank you at the outset.
Answers to your questions in the same order are as follows:
Hydrolysis of methyl lactate. Boiling point of reactants in between that of products. Not necessarily. Ideal system. Optimize number of trays and/or minimize operating/fixed cost and/or optimum feed location.
Best Regards,
I have attached an old article form a company call CDTech that I believe has been acquired by CBI (itself a merger of the old Chicago Bridge and Iron and Lummus). There are a fair number (more than 10) selective catalytic distillation units the are designed to selective remove sulfur compounds in Fluid Bed Catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) naphtha without saturating to many of the olefins (olefins have high octane). I think this is the most successful commercial application for catalytic distillation. Unfortunately when sulfur specs specs got tighter it was much more difficult for refiners with this technology to adapt so it fell out of favor.
Here is a link to a more academic paper about reactive distillation that is probably closer to what you are looking for
http://chemistry.mdma.ch/hiveboard/picproxie_docs/000535383-viewcontent.pdf
Dear Mohd,
I recommend you two good starts for optimization and reactive distillation (first one) and for multiobjective optimization (2nd one):
Z. Lei. Design, optimization, and control of reactive distillation column for the synthesis of tert-amyl ethyl ether. 2013.Link: Article Design, optimization, and control of reactive distillation c...
R. Soto et al. Equilibrium conversion, selectivity and yield optimization of the simultaneous liquid-phase etherification of isobutene and isoamylenes with ethanol over Amberlyst™ 35.2015. Link: Article Equilibrium conversion, selectivity and yield optimization o...
)I hope they help you.
Kind regards,
Dr. Rodrigo Soto
Dear Mohd Umair Iqbal ,
I recommend carry out Reactive Distillation optimization (multi-objetive) through stocastics algorithms ( e.g. Genetic or PSO) using Matlab - Aspen plus or hysys link.
Variables such as Liquid Holdup, molar feed ratio, number of reactive stages, feeding stage and reflux ratio are of great interest.
I also recommend carrying out sensitivity analyzes (important to define the ranges of optimization variables) using Matlab - Aspen Link. You can generate graphs like the attached file:
The following link can be very helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imthvC5bW08
I recommend setting the variables that you want to optimize or extract in the Hysys spreadsheet. In addition, it is advisable to place a pause in the execution of the MATLAB algorithm (using "pause (n)", n = seconds) to give hysys time to converge the simulation.
The direct connection between Matlab and Aspen Plus is also possible.
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