Synthesis of Non-Sharp Complex and Thermally Coupled Separation Systems

化学过程通常包括产生两种以上产品的多组分分离序列。这种分离系统用于饲料制备、产品分离、产品精加工和废物处理。化工厂的分离过程对总资本投资和年运营成本有很大的影响，在某些情况下，它可能是主要的成本贡献者。因此，努力开发系统的自动化方法，以产生接近最佳的分离序列是工业的极大兴趣。本研究的目标是使用数学规划技术来更好地理解将多个多组分源分离成多个多组分产品的一般问题。具体来说，这项工作旨在解决一般问题：用“非尖锐”（意味着头顶、底部或侧面出口流都不包含任何一种纯产品）、复杂和热耦合单元合成这样的分离序列。工作计划包括：(a)利用数学规划方法，对涉及“非尖锐”单位的分离系统的综合进行系统研究。(b)研究可能涉及若干进料流、若干侧流和泵绕系统的“复杂”塔的合成。(c)为耦合目标(a)制订有系统的方法，即包括与若干“复杂”柱有关的“非尖锐”预分馏器的热耦合系统的合成。(d)调查同时考虑热整合和优化涉及“非尖锐”和“复杂”柱的系统。(e)开发软件，使上述目标所述方法自动化。除了生成色谱柱设计标准外，这项工作还应提供有关是否需要分离器装置来生成所需的多组分产品的信息。其他选择可能导致大量节省。

Chemical processes frequently include multicomponent separation sequences which produce more than two products. Such separation systems are used for feed preparation, product separation, product finishing and waste treatment. The separation process of a chemical plant has a large effect on the total capital investment and the annual operating cost - in some cases it might be the major cost contributor. Therefore efforts to develop systematic automated approaches that will produce near-optimum separation sequences are of great interest to industry. The goal of this research is to use mathematical programming techniques to obtain a better understanding of the general problem of separating several multicomponent sources into several multicomponent products. Specifically, the work is directed toward solving the general problem: synthesize such separation sequences with "non-sharp" (meaning neither overhead, bottoms, or side exit streams contains any one pure product), complex, and thermally coupled units. The work plan includes: (a) Performing a systematic study on the synthesis of separation systems that involve "non-sharp" units, using mathematical programming approaches. (b) Investigating the synthesis of "complex" columns that may involve several feed streams, several side streams and pump- around systems. (c) Developing systematic approaches for coupling goals (a) and that is, the synthesis of thermally coupled systems that involve "non-sharp" prefractionators associated with several "complex" columns. (d) Investigating the simultaneous consideration of heat integration and optimization of the systems that invlove "non-sharp" and "complex" columns. (e) Developing software for the automation of the approaches described in the above goals. In addition to generating column design criteria, this work should also provide information on whether separator units are required at all for the generation of the desired multicomponent products. Other alternatives may result in substantial savings.