Synthesis of Non-Sharp Complex and Thermally Coupled Separation Systems

化工过程经常包括多组分分离序列，这些序列产生两个以上的产品。这种分离系统用于饲料制备、产品分离、产品整理和废物处理。化工厂的分离过程对总资本投资和年度运行成本有很大影响--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，是工业界非常感兴趣的事情。这项研究的目的是使用数学规划技术来更好地了解将几个多组份来源分离成几个多组分产品的一般问题。具体地说，这项工作旨在解决一般问题：用“非尖锐”(意味着顶、底或侧出口流都不包含任何一种纯产品)、复杂和热耦合单元来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“非尖端”单元的分离系统的综合进行系统研究。(B)研究合成可能涉及几个进料流、几个侧流和泵送系统的“复杂”塔。(C)制定系统办法，以实现目标(A)，即合成涉及与若干“复杂”塔相关联的“非尖端”预分馏塔的热耦合系统。(D)调查同时考虑热集成和优化涉及“非尖端”和“复杂”塔的系统。(E)为实现上述目标所述方法的自动化开发软件。除了生成塔设计标准外，这项工作还应提供信息，说明是否需要分离单元来生成所需的多组分产品。其他替代方案可能会带来可观的节省。

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.