Investigation of energy-efficient heat pump assisted heterogeneous azeotropic distillation for separating of acetonitrile/ethyl acetate/n-hexane mixture

doi:10.1016/j.cjche.2022.04.015

Abstract

Abstract: The conventional distillation is hard to accomplish the separation of acetonitrile/ethyl acetate/n-hexane mixture. Herein, a heterogeneous azeotropic distillation (HAD) without adding entrainer is proposed to separate ternary mixture. The proposed scheme is optimized via the simulated annealing algorithm and minimum total annual cost (TAC) is used as objective functions. To minimize energy consumption, heat pump is added on the basis of optimal heterogeneous azeotropic distillation and heat integration technology is used to further improve the energy recovery. The TAC, gas emission, energy consumption and exergy destruction are used to discuss the economy and environmental protection of processes. Among all the processes, the heat pump with higher preheating temperature (HPT) assisted HAD process by combining with heat integration (HAD-HPT-HI) has best performances on economic, environment, energy and exergy. Compared with conventional HAD process, the HAD-HPT-HI achieves the reductions of 52.17%, 68.86%, 65.87% and 65.46% on TAC, total energy consumption, gas emissions and exergy destruction, respectively.

Key words: Heterogeneous azeotropic distillation, Energy-saving, SA algorithm, Heat pump

摘要： The conventional distillation is hard to accomplish the separation of acetonitrile/ethyl acetate/n-hexane mixture. Herein, a heterogeneous azeotropic distillation (HAD) without adding entrainer is proposed to separate ternary mixture. The proposed scheme is optimized via the simulated annealing algorithm and minimum total annual cost (TAC) is used as objective functions. To minimize energy consumption, heat pump is added on the basis of optimal heterogeneous azeotropic distillation and heat integration technology is used to further improve the energy recovery. The TAC, gas emission, energy consumption and exergy destruction are used to discuss the economy and environmental protection of processes. Among all the processes, the heat pump with higher preheating temperature (HPT) assisted HAD process by combining with heat integration (HAD-HPT-HI) has best performances on economic, environment, energy and exergy. Compared with conventional HAD process, the HAD-HPT-HI achieves the reductions of 52.17%, 68.86%, 65.87% and 65.46% on TAC, total energy consumption, gas emissions and exergy destruction, respectively.

关键词: Heterogeneous azeotropic distillation, Energy-saving, SA algorithm, Heat pump

Xinhao Li, Qing Ye, Jinlong Li, Lingqiang Yan, Xue Jian, Licheng Xie, Jianyu Zhang. Investigation of energy-efficient heat pump assisted heterogeneous azeotropic distillation for separating of acetonitrile/ethyl acetate/n-hexane mixture[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2023, 55(3): 20-33.

References

[1] Z. Lei, B. Chen, Z. Ding, Special Distillation Processes, Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, 59–144 (2005).
[2] S.L. Xu, H.Y. Wang, A new entrainer for separation of tetrahydrofuran–water azeotropic mixture by extractive distillation, Chem. Eng. Process. Process. Intensif. 45 (11) (2006) 954–958.
[3] X.L. Yang, J.D. Ward, Extractive distillation optimization using simulated annealing and a process simulation automation server, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 57 (32) (2018) 11050–11060.
[4] H.J. Gai, K.Q. Lin, Y.R. Feng, M. Xiao, K. Guo, H.B. Song, Conceptual design of an extractive distillation process for the separation of azeotropic mixture of n-butanol–isobutanol–water, Chin. J. Chem. Eng. 26 (10) (2018) 2040–2047.
[5] Z.S. Zhang, C. Wang, C. Guang, C. Wang, Separation of propylene oxide–methanol–water mixture via enhanced extractive distillation: Design and control, Chem. Eng. Process. Process. Intensif. 144 (2019) 107651.
[6] T. Zhang, A. Li, X. Xu, Y.X. Ma, D.M. Xu, L.Z. Zhang, J. Gao, Y.L. Wang, Separation of azeotropic mixture (acetone + n-heptane) by extractive distillation with intermediate and heavy boiling entrainers: Vapour–liquid equilibrium measurements and correlation, J. Chem. Thermodyn. 152 (2021) 106284.
[7] C. Wang, Y. Zhuang, L.L. Liu, L. Zhang, J. Du, Heat pump assisted extractive distillation sequences with intermediate-boiling entrainer, Appl. Therm. Eng. 186 (2021) 116511.
[8] C.L. Li, Y.Y. Song, J. Fang, Y. Liu, W.Y. Su, Y.Q. Hu, Separation process of butanol–butyl acetate–methyl isobutyl ketone system by the analysis to residual curve and the double effect pressure-swing distillation, Chin. J. Chem. Eng. 25 (3) (2017) 274–277.
[9] F.K. Zhang, D.F. Sun, Y.N. Li, B.M. Shan, Y.X. Ma, Y.L. Wang, X. Li, Z.Y. Zhu, Heat integration and dynamic control for separating the ternary azeotrope of butanone/isopropanol/n-heptane via pressure-swing distillation, Chem. Eng. Process. Process. Intensif. 170 (2022) 108657.
[10] P.Y. Shi, D.M. Xu, J.F. Ding, J.Y. Wu, Y.X. Ma, J. Gao, Y.L. Wang, Separation of azeotrope (2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-1-propanol + water) via heterogeneous azeotropic distillation by energy-saving dividing-wall column: Process design and control strategies, Chem. Eng. Res. Des. 135 (2018) 52–66.
[11] H. Yu, Q. Ye, H. Xu, H. Zhang, X. Dai, Design and control of dividing-wall column for tert-butanol dehydration system via heterogeneous azeotropic distillation, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 54 (13) (2015) 3384–3397.
[12] J.X. Chen, Q. Ye, T. Liu, H. Xia, S.Y. Feng, Design and control of heterogeneous azeotropic distillation for separating 2-methylpyridine/water, Chem. Eng. Technol. 41 (10) (2018) 2024–2033.
[13] W.L. Luyben, Control of the heterogeneous azeotropic n-butanol/water distillation system, Energy Fuels 22 (6) (2008) 4249–4258.
[14] Y.C. Wu, I.L. Chien, W.L. Luyben, Two-stripper/decanter flowsheet for methanol recovery in the TAME reactive-distillation process, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 48 (23) (2009) 10532–10540.
[15] M.L. Tsai, Y.R. Zhang, I.L. Chien, Improved design of separation system for the recovery of benzene and isopropanol from wastewater, Sep. Purif. Technol. 260 (2021) 118227.
[16] Y. Cui, X.J. Shi, C. Guang, Z.S. Zhang, C. Wang, C. Wang, Comparison of pressure-swing distillation and heterogeneous azeotropic distillation for recovering benzene and isopropanol from wastewater, Process. Saf. Environ. Prot. 122 (2019) 1–12.
[17] C. Guang, X.J. Shi, Z.S. Zhang, C. Wang, C. Wang, J. Gao, Comparison of heterogeneous azeotropic and pressure-swing distillations for separating the diisopropylether/isopropanol/water mixtures, Chem. Eng. Res. Des. 143 (2019) 249–260.
[18] Y.R. Zhang, T.W. Wu, I.L. Chien, Energy-efficient heterogeneous azeotropic distillation coupling with pressure swing distillation for the separation of IPA/DIPE/Water mixture, J. Taiwan Inst. Chem. Eng. 130 (2022) 103843.
[19] X.M. Qiu, Y.Y. Shen, Z.K. Hou, Q. Wang, Z.Y. Zhu, Y.L. Wang, J.W. Yang, J. Gao, Mechanism analysis of solvent selectivity and energy-saving optimization in vapor recompression-assisted extractive distillation for separation of binary azeotrope, Chin. J. Chem. Eng. (2021), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjche.2021.06.010.
[20] Q.J. Zhang, M.L. Liu, A.W. Zeng, Performance enhancement of pressure-swing distillation process by the combined use of vapor recompression and thermal integration, Comput. Chem. Eng. 120 (2019) 30–45.
[21] H. Xia, Q. Ye, S.Y. Feng, R. Li, X.M. Suo, A novel energy-saving pressure swing distillation process based on self-heat recuperation technology, Energy 141 (2017) 770–781.
[22] H. Shahandeh, M. Jafari, N. Kasiri, J. Ivakpour, Economic optimization of heat pump-assisted distillation columns in methanol–water separation, Energy 80 (2015) 496–508.
[23] N.G. Wang, Q. Ye, X.X. Ren, L.J. Chen, H.X. Zhang, Y.F. Fan, H. Cen, J. Zhong, Performance enhancement of heat pump with preheater-assisted pressure-swing distillation process, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 59 (10) (2020) 4742–4755.
[24] S.Y. Feng, X.Y. Lyu, Q. Ye, H. Xia, R. Li, X.M. Suo, Performance enhancement of reactive dividing-wall column via vapor recompression heat pump, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 55 (43) (2016) 11305–11314.
[25] N. van Duc Long, M. Lee, A novel NGL (natural gas liquid) recovery process based on self-heat recuperation, Energy 57 (2013) 663–670.
[26] M. Leo, A. Dutta, S. Farooq, Process synthesis and optimization of heat pump assisted distillation for ethylene–ethane separation, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 57 (34) (2018) 11747–11756.
[27] Y.F. Fan, Q. Ye, J.X. Chen, X. Chen, T. Liu, H. Cen, A systematic method for optimum heterogeneous azeotropic distillation systems with vapor recompression, Chem. Eng. Process. Process. Intensif. 143 (2019) 107597.
[28] L.J. Chen, Q. Ye, Z.Y. Jiang, J. Yuan, H.X. Zhang, N.G. Wang, Novel methodology for determining the optimal vapor recompressed assisted distillation process based on economic and energy efficiency, Sep. Purif. Technol. 251 (2020) 117393.
[29] H. Xia, X. Dai, Q. Ye, S.Y. Feng, R. Li, X.M. Suo, Design and control of entrainer-assisted reactive distillation for N-propyl propionate production, Comput. Chem. Eng. 106 (2017) 559–571.
[30] Y. Cui, Z.S. Zhang, X.J. Shi, C. Guang, J. Gao, Triple-column side-stream extractive distillation optimization via simulated annealing for the benzene/isopropanol/water separation, Sep. Purif. Technol. 236 (2020) 116303.
[31] B.Y. Yu, J.W. Ciou, P.J. Wu, G.B. Wang, Conceptual design, optimization, and carbon emission analysis for the acrylonitrile/acetonitrile/water separation processes, J. Taiwan Inst. Chem. Eng. 122 (2021) 32–39.
[32] Z.S. Zhang, X.X. Zhao, X.Y. Zhu, M. Li, Z. Ma, J. Gao, Energy-saving exploration and optimization of methyl alcohol–methyl ethyl ketone–tertbutyl alcohol separation by extractive dividing-wall distillation with ionic liquid as extractant, Sep. Purif. Technol. 272 (2021) 118886.
[33] W.L. Luyben, Distillation Design and Control Using AspenTM Simulation, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ, 2006.
[34] K. Iwakabe, M. Nakaiwa, K.J. Huang, T. Nakanishi, A. Røsjorde, T. Ohmori, A. Endo, T. Yamamoto, Energy saving in multicomponent separation using an internally heat-integrated distillation column (HIDiC), Appl. Therm. Eng. 26 (13) (2006) 1362–1368.
[35] X.Q. Li, Y.F. Zhang, L. Fang, Z.D. Jin, Y. Zhang, X.H. Yu, X.L. Ma, N. Deng, Z.X. Wu, Energy, exergy, economic, and environmental analysis of an integrated system of high-temperature heat pump and gas separation unit, Energy Convers. Manag. 198 (2019) 111911.
[36] B.M. Dai, H.F. Qi, S.C. Liu, Z.F. Zhong, H.L. Li, M.J. Song, M.Y. Ma, Z.L. Sun, Environmental and economical analyses of transcritical CO₂ heat pump combined with direct dedicated mechanical subcooling (DMS) for space heating in China, Energy Convers. Manag. 198 (2019) 111317.
[37] K. Seshadri, Thermal design and optimization, Energy 21 (5) (1996) 433–434.
[38] C.L. Yan, A. Yang, I.L. Chien, S.A. Wei, W.F. Shen, J.Z. Ren, Advanced exergy analysis of organic Rankine cycles for Fischer–Tropsch syngas production with parallel dry and steam methane reforming, Energy Convers. Manag. 199 (2019) 111963.
[39] H.Z. Kister, Distillation Design (1st ed.), McGraw Hill, New York, 1992.
[40] Z.S. Zhang, X.J. Shi, X.Y. Zhu, M. Li, J. Gao, Investigation of energy-saving thermally coupled extractive distillation alternatives with different liquid side-stream for a quaternary azeotropic system, Sep. Purif. Technol. 268 (2021) 118706.
[41] D. Mikielewicz, J. Wajs, Performance of the very high-temperature heat pump with low GWP working fluids, Energy 182 (2019) 460–470.
[42] Z. Fonyo, N. Benkö, Comparison of various heat pump assisted distillation configurations, Chem. Eng. Res. Des. 76 (3) (1998) 348–360.
[43] Q.J. Zhang, S.J. Yang, P.Y. Shi, W. Hou, A.W. Zeng, Y.G. Ma, X.G. Yuan, Economically and thermodynamically efficient heat pump-assisted side-stream pressure-swing distillation arrangement for separating a maximum-boiling azeotrope, Appl. Therm. Eng. 173 (2020) 115228.
[44] V. Pleşu, A.E. Bonet Ruiz, J. Bonet, J. Llorens, Simple equation for suitability of heat pump use in distillation, Computer Aided Chemical Engineering, 33, Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, 1327–1332 (2014).