Simulation of Packed Distillation and Absorption Columns

Abstract

A nonequilibrium stage model of countercurrent separation processes is used to model a packed distillation column and a packed absorber. A key feature of the model is that the component material and energy balance relations for each phase are solved simultaneously with the mass and energy transfer rate equations and interface equilibrium equations. Computations of quantities such as HETP and HTU are completely avoided. The terminal stream composition, flow rates, and temperature profiles over the packed depth predicted by the model are compared with results of field tests. There is good agreement between the two; the deviations are only of the order of magnitude of the experimental errors. © 1985, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.