A new configuration of ideal heat integrated distillation columns (HIDiC)

A new configuration for ideal heat integrated distillation columns (HIDiC) is proposed by further heat integration between its overhead product and feed. This modification makes the ideal HIDiC more self-support and imposes fewer constraints to the environment. The added heat integration is different in nature from the one between the rectifying and the stripping sections. The latter is self-regulating, while the former is not. Open-loop integrating process is produced by the added heat integration, which makes the process more difficult to control than before. It is therefore extremely important to explore the interaction and tradeoff between process design and operation. Simulation studies are conducted to evaluate the process operation feasibility and it is found that the process can be well controlled through manipulations of pressure difference between the rectifying and the stripping sections and feed thermal condition. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.