Experimental investigation of the flexible operation of multiple dividing wall columns

精馏是最耗能的分离过程之一，也是化学工业中应用最广泛的过程。据估计，蒸馏过程占美国能源消耗的2.5%至10%，因此蒸馏对人为气候变化也有很大影响。将这种影响降至最低是本应用程序的首要科学目标。近年来正在深入研究的一种方法是过程强化，其目的是提高化学过程的效率。工艺强化的一个常见例子是分隔壁柱，其中该应用集中于具有多个隔壁的多个分隔壁柱(MTWK)。与传统的四元混合物蒸馏相比，多个隔壁精馏塔可以节省高达50%的能源。然而，到目前为止，关于这一主题的科学文献仅限于理论方面的考虑。然而，2021年11月，世界上第一个多层隔墙塔在乌尔姆大学投入使用。作为博士论文的一部分，申请者已经从理论的角度处理了植物。现在，这些理论上取得的结果将在乌尔姆的中试工厂进行实践验证。本应用的重点是对这类工厂的柔性操作窗进行实验研究。这种行为有可能促进多个分隔壁柱的稳定和可靠的操作。可靠的实验研究与理论前期工作相结合，加深了对多隔墙塔的认识，并为多隔墙塔的广泛应用奠定了基础，从而有助于提高精馏的能量效率。

Distillation is one of the most energy-intensive separation processes and also the most widely used in the chemical industry. Estimates suggest that the process is responsible for 2.5 to 10 % of the energy consumed in the USA, thus distillation also contributes significantly to human-made climate change. Minimizing this impact is the overarching scientific goal of this application. One approach to this being studied intensively in recent years is process intensification, which aims to increase the efficiency of chemical processes. A common example for process intensification are dividing wall columns where this application focuses on multiple dividing wall columns (mTWK) with more than one dividing wall. Multiple dividing wall columns open up the possibility of saving up to 50% energy compared to conventional distillation of quaternary mixtures. However, the scientific literature on this topic has so far been limited exclusively to theoretical considerations. However, in November 2021, the first multiple dividing wall column worldwide was put into operation at Ulm University. As part of her PhD thesis the applicant has already dealt with the plant from a theoretical point of view. Now these theoretically achieved results are to be verified in practice at the pilot plant in Ulm. The focus of this application is on the experimental investigation of flexible operating windows of such plants. This behavior has the potential to facilitate stable and reliable operation of multiple dividing wall columns. Reliable experimental investigations, in combination with the theoretical preliminary work, deepen the understanding and should set the course to enable the transition of multiple partition wall columns into broad application and thus contribute to increasing the energy efficiency of distillation.