Title: Complex evaluation of multicomponent distillation systems: exergy, emission, and costs

Authors: Máté Haragovics; Péter Mizsey

Addresses: Department of Chemical and Environmental Process Engineering, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budafoki út 8. F II., H-1111 Budapest, Hungary ' Department of Chemical and Environmental Process Engineering, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budafoki út 8. F II., H-1111 Budapest, Hungary

Abstract: In this paper, a new complex methodology is tested and verified to select the most adequate distillation structure for a specific separation task. The methodology is based on the desirability function introduced by Kencse and Mizsey (2010) and successfully aggregates the results of exergy, economic and environmental analyses to select the most efficient rectification structures for the separation of alkane and aromatic quaternary mixtures. Distillation structures based on direct sequence and single column configurations are examined from exergetic, economic and environmental points of view aggregated with the D-function. Direct sequence with backwards heat integration performs best in all cases, it has the highest CO2e saving as well as the lowest total annual cost. The overheated vapour feed solution has less attractive properties; therefore, it should be avoided if possible. The methodology to combine the aforementioned indices with desirability function is applicable for quaternary mixtures as well as for ternary.

Keywords: complex methodology; desirability function; exergy analysis; performance evaluation; multicomponent distillation systems; CO2; carbon dioxide; carbon emissions; annual costs; economic analysis; environmental analysis; direct sequence; backwards heat integration; overheated vapour feed; quaternary mixtures; ternary mixtures.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2015.072166

International Journal of Exergy, 2015 Vol.18 No.2, pp.177 - 191

Received: 20 Dec 2013
Accepted: 13 Sep 2014

Published online: 02 Oct 2015 *

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