Experimental investigation of the flexible operation of multiple dividing wall columns

精馏是一种耗能最高的分离过程，也是化工行业中应用最广泛的分离过程。据估计，该过程占美国能源消耗的2.5%至10%，因此蒸馏也对人为气候变化做出了重大贡献。最大限度地减少这种影响是本申请的首要科学目标。近年来，一种正在深入研究的方法是过程强化，其目的是提高化学过程的效率。过程强化的一个常见实例是分隔壁塔，其中该应用集中于具有多于一个分隔壁的多个分隔壁塔（mTWK）。与四元混合物的常规蒸馏相比，多个分隔壁塔可以节省高达50%的能量。然而，关于这一专题的科学文献迄今仅限于理论方面的考虑。然而，2021年11月，全球首个多间壁塔在乌尔姆大学投产。作为博士论文的一部分，申请人已经从理论的角度处理了这种植物。现在这些理论上获得的结果将在乌尔姆的试验工厂中得到验证。本申请的重点是对这种植物的灵活操作窗口的实验研究。这种行为有可能促进多个分隔壁塔的稳定和可靠的操作。可靠的实验研究，结合理论上的初步工作，加深了理解，并应设置课程，使过渡到广泛的应用，从而有助于提高蒸馏的能量效率的多间壁塔。

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.