Design, optimization and controllability of an alternative process based on extractive distillation for an ethane–carbon dioxide mixture

•Configurations based on cryogenic extractive distillation for the natural gas sweetening process are proposed.•Proposed sequences were simultaneously optimized by minimizing the total annual cost (TAC) and maximizing the acid gas removal.•Proposed cryogenic extractive distillation sequences realize...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chemical engineering and processing 2013-12, Vol.74, p.55-68
Main Authors: Torres-Ortega, Carlo E., Segovia-Hernández, Juan Gabriel, Gómez-Castro, Fernando I., Hernández, Salvador, Bonilla-Petriciolet, Adrián, Rong, Ben-Guang, Errico, Massimiliano
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Extractive distillation
Greenhouse gases generation
Multi-objective differential evolution
Optimization
Singular value decomposition
Thermodynamic efficiency
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Summary:•Configurations based on cryogenic extractive distillation for the natural gas sweetening process are proposed.•Proposed sequences were simultaneously optimized by minimizing the total annual cost (TAC) and maximizing the acid gas removal.•Proposed cryogenic extractive distillation sequences realized the higher carbon dioxide removal together with the lower TAC. Alternative configurations based on cryogenic extractive distillation were proposed and simulated by using Aspen Plus 7.0® coupled to a multi-objective stochastic optimization procedure (differential evolution, DE). The evaluation of the performances of the proposed configurations was focused on the ethane–carbon dioxide azeotrope separation considering different liquefied hydrocarbon fractions as entrainers. The design alternatives were compared to the conventional chemical absorption system. The proposed sequences were simultaneously Pareto optimized by minimizing the total annual cost (TAC) and maximizing the acid gas removal. Complementary studies regarding the theoretical control properties, the thermodynamic efficiency and the greenhouse gases generation were conducted for several representative operating conditions obtained from the Pareto optimized fronts. The proposed cryogenic extractive distillation sequences realized the higher carbon dioxide removal together with the lower TAC compared to the conventional chemical absorption system.
ISSN:0255-2701
1873-3204
DOI:10.1016/j.cep.2013.09.011