Title: Modelling and optimisation of a water-ethanol distillation column based on exergoeconomic analysis

Authors: Mehrangiz Ghazi; Amir Farhang Sotoodeh; Majid Amidpour

Addresses: Department of Mechanics, Takestan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Takestan, Iran ' Department of Mechanics, Takestan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Takestan, Iran ' Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Energy System Engineering, K.N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

Abstract: Exergoeconomic modelling and optimisation of a water-ethanol distillation column is performed. A model based on energy and exergy analysis is presented here. An economic model of the system is developed according to the Total Revenue Requirement (TRR) method. The objective functions based on the exergoeconomic analysis are developed. The column that includes two main decision variables is considered for optimisation to minimise the cost of the distillate. Water-ethanol distillation is chosen as a case study. Optimisation of the system shows 2.45% improvement in the cost of the distillate (Ethanol). The optimised case induces reflux ratio to be 8.61 and distillate rate as 2284.23 kg/hr.

Keywords: distillation column; exergoeconomic modelling; TRR method; total revenue requirement; exergy analysis; optimisation; optimisation; water-ethanol; energy analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2012.049742

International Journal of Exergy, 2012 Vol.11 No.2, pp.173 - 190

Received: 13 Sep 2011
Accepted: 21 Dec 2011
Published online: 14 Oct 2012 *

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