RATE BASED MODELING AND SIMULATION OF DISTILLATION COLUMN WITH NON-EQUILIBRIUM TRAYS

Abstract

A nonequilibrium stage model is developed for the simulation of countercurrent multicomponent separation processes. A feature of the model is that the component material and energy balance relations for each phase together with mass and energy transfer rate equations and equilibrium equations for the phase interface are solved to find the actual separation directly. Computations of stage efficiencies are entirely avoided. Newton's method is used for solving the model equations simultaneously. This nonequilibrium stage model is used to predict composition and temperature profiles. The profiles predicted by the model are compared with experimental data and equilibrium distillation obtained by Aspen plus for the methanol-isopropanol- water and benzene-toluene-m-xylene systems. And predictions of present work are in excellent agreement with experimental data.