Computers & Chemical Engineering, Vol.25, No.4-6, 635-642, 2001
Analysis of residue curve maps of reactive and extractive distillation units
The aim of this work is to focus in the simultaneous analysis of reactive and extractive distillation, including the solvent recovery system. Residue curve maps can provide valuable insights and design assistance for a variety of separation processes, in which reactive distillation has been incorporated. These graphical techniques reveal the sensitivity of design options by giving us a visual representation over the whole composition space and assist the engineer to detect separation constraints. Simulation results show the reaction effect in the diagram topology: existence and position of nodes, saddles and distillation boundaries (separatrices or surfaces). Advanced distillation synthesis and design techniques, which are now supported by available software tools, were used to develop case studies for extractive distillation, entrainer influence in reactive systems and reactive distillation analysis with consecutive and/or competitive reactions.