The Design and Optimization of Distillation Column with Heat and Power Integrated Systems

Based on two integration steps, an optimization framework is proposed in this work for the synthesis and design of complex distillation sequence. The first step is to employ heat integration in sequence and reduce the heat consumption and total annual cost of the process. The second one is to increase the exergetic efficiency of sequence by generating power in implemented expanders in sequence. The profit of power generation directly affects the operating cost of the process and decreases the total annual cost. In each step, the target is to minimize the objective function of total annual cost. A simulator is used to simulate the equipment’s specification and formulate the objective function of cost. Results from employing these two integration steps for the considered case study show the advantages of such a complex distillation sequence with heat integration and power generation. The results represent a very high improvement for the sequence Indirect since the properties of the intake flow to the process are in a way that in this sequence not only do we have a high freedom for carrying out heat integration, but a large amount of power is also produced between the columns due to having high flow rate flows between the columns.