(282b) New Approach for Modeling Hybrid PSA-Distillation Processes

A new simulation algorithm has been developed for modeling hybrid PSA-distillation processes. This new approach utilizes ChemsepTM for the distillation unit and a black box for the PSA unit. The performance of the PSA unit is simply defined by the recovery and purity of one of the two species involved in the separation. A five-step methodology that can be done using a spreadsheet and ChemsepTM has been tested successfully for the separation of ethanol and water. This presentation will demonstrate the utility of this new simulation algorithm for hybrid PSA-distillation system design. Using the ethanol-water system as a model system, this presentation will show how to determine if energy savings are indeed possible, by simply varying the hybrid PSA-distillation configuration and the performance of the PSA system. It will also show how to convert the balck box PSA system into an actual PSA system, using a rigorous PSA process simulator like Adsim, once an energy savings design has been found. This new methodology should prove to be very useful for quickly accessing the utility of a PSA-distillation process for a wide variety of applications.