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Aspen can vary column parameters to optimize reflux ratios, mole recoveries, etc. It can also
automatically optimize the number of stages required to minimize, for example, the reboiler duty or
molar reflux ratio. This primer briefly reviews how the problem can be set up for these types of
calculations.
Design Specifications
Within Aspen, design specifications that can be automatically targeted appear in Table 1
Notably absent from this list is the number of stages, which is discussed later. The design
specification is entered in the Design Specification node within the block that defines a distillation
column. Commonly, several design specifications provide a complete design. The specific example here
assumes a 50:50 mixture of n-butanol and isobutanol and uses UNIQUAC thermodynamics models. An
atmospheric-pressure column with a total condenser and with a distillate to feed ratio of 0.5 and a
nominal reflux ratio of 15 should be specified if you want to make quantitative comparisons with this
example. The column in this example has 25 equilibrium stages with the feed on stage 15.
In this example, mole recovery specifies the amount of a feed component recovered in the distillate
and bottoms feeds, respectively. To make such specification:
1. Select New in the Design Specifications dialog box under the Block node of the Data
Browser tree section (see Figure 1).
2. Accept the default name of 1 for this specification
3. Select an appropriate design specification in the next dialog box (Figure 2) from Table
1, in this case the second choice in molar units, or Mole Recovery.
4. Enter the target value for this recovery (0.975) as the target specification.
5. Select the component on which to base this recovery (isobutanol) and the stream to
which it corresponds (2 or distillate) by clicking on the Components and Streams
tabs respectively and selecting the appropriate information (or click on N-> to be
guided to these sheets automatically).
A second design specification (Design Specification 2) should be similarly constructed for
97.5% recovery of n-butanol in the bottoms.
Figure 2 Dialog box for specifying the specifications for Design Specs 1.
Varying Parameters
The parameters to vary to meet the design specifications previously entered in the program
appear in the Vary node of the Block tree. At least one and no more than two varying
parameters are specified in this node. These must be selected from the two operating
specifications established in the column Setup dialog box. In this case, reflux ratio and
distillate to feed ratio where chosen as the operating specifications in the Setup dialog box.
Reflux ratio will vary as the program attempts to meet the design specifications of 97.5%
molar purity in each of the distillate and bottoms feeds. The following procedure outlines how
to make such specifications:
1. Create a new Vary object by selecting New in the Vary dialog box under the Block
node of the Data Browser.
2. Select the design parameter to be varied from the Adjusted Variable drop-down box,
in this case Reflux Ratio.
3. Enter the range over which the design parameter (Reflux Ratio) may be varied to meet
the Design Specifications. In this example, the reflux ratio may vary from 0.5 to 25.
Figure 3 Dialog box for specifying the parameter and its range of variation that should be varied to meet
the design specifications.
The Results tab on this dialog box will display the actual reflux ratio used in the program to
meet the design specification after the computations complete (see next section).
Design Calculation
The program is now prepared to vary the reflux ratio to meet the design specifications. To
initiate this calculation, press the next button (N->). The program will either meet the design
specification or come as close as it can to meeting it within the constraints of the varying
parameter. That is, it will either produce 97.5% pure alcohol streams or it will come as close
as it can by varying the reflux ratio from 0.5 to 25. In this example, it meets the specification
with a reflux ratio of 19.5. The resulting recoveries appear under the Results tabs of the
design specifications (97.5 in both cases) and the resulting reflux ratio appear under the
Results tab of the Vary specification (19.5 in this case).