Edgar Leonardo Martínez

Computational Study of a Rotating Packed Bed Distillation Column

Abstract In the last decades, the intensification of processes has attracted the attention of both academia and industry. A Rotating Packed Bed (RPB) was developed in the context of process intensification and has been widely used in absorption, desorption, distillation, desulfurization, oxidation, crystallization, dedusting, precipitation, polymerization, and nanomaterials synthesis. In this work, it is studied a new concept of distillation columns, which are usually referenced on literature as HIGEE DISTILLATION (distillation high gravity), where the gravity is replaced by a high centrifugal force and applied to distillation and absorption processes. This new system is mainly characterized for being an intensified mass transfer process by means of high-speed rotating packed beds. In this work, a study of performance of HIGEE column for separation of ethanol-water mixture was realized. In order to simulate this equipment in the commercial software Aspen Plus V7., it was introduced a subroutine Fortran to account the modification on the mass-transfer model of an existing unit. The results showed that HIGEE column allow a considerable reduction in height and volume in comparison with a conventional packed column, showing a promissory alternative for continuous distillation process.

CFD Simulation of Three-Dimensional Multiphase Flow in a Rotating Packed Bed

Abstract Rotating Packed Beds (RPB) have received considerable attention in recent years as a means of process intensification in industry. The energy of high-gravity fields generated by centrifugal operation considerably increases the molecular diffusion between gasliquid counter-current flows and consequently improves the heat and mass transport. Owing of the complexity of fluid flow in RPB, there is poor understanding about fluid dynamics within the RPB. In this work, a computational fluid dynamics study using three-dimensional model was performed in order to describe the multiphase flow of Water-SO 2 in RPB and to calculate the velocity distribution along the RPB domain at rotating velocity of 950 rpm. The simulation results allowed to increase understanding of the multiphase flow in RPB and influence of rotator speed on fluids flow within of equipment.

Comparative Study of Simulations and Experimental Results of Biodiesel Production Using Two Types of Reactive Distillation Columns

Abstract This work presents the biodiesel production from soybean oil with bioethanol from sugar cane in presence of sodium hydroxide as catalyst. The purpose of the present work is to show a comparative study, simulation and experiments, of an efficient process using reactive distillation (RD) columns applied to biodiesel production. Two systems were used in order to present the most efficient process. The main equipments of the first system were a pre-reactor (batch stirred tank reactor: BSTR) and a packed RD column filled with glass rings and the second system were a pre-reactor (plug flow reactor: PFR) and a RD column with ten plates. Experimental design was used in order to optimize the process variables of biodiesel production and the best ester (biodiesel) conversion was 99.84 wt.% after 6 minutes of reaction, obtained with the RD sieve tray column. Simulations of both RD columns were carried out in Aspen Plus software and these simulations are in agreement with experimental results.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of the Water – Sugar Cane Bagasse Suspension in Pipe with Internal Static Mixer

Abstract A comprehensive CFD model was developed to gain insight into flow characteristics of water-sugar cane bagasse suspension in pipe with and without internal static mixers. Two different modeling approaches were used: Eulerian-Eulerian and Lagragian Particle Tracking, both with the k-ɛ turbulence model. Local solid volume fraction distribution was studied for three mean velocity suspension; 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20 m/s. The mass volume fraction studied were 49.6 and 10 W/V of water-swollen particles. The predicted flow indicates the presence of loop flow pattern in the pipe with internal static mixers as a function of mean velocity suspension.

Heat Transfer Study of Heat‐Integrated Distillation Column (HIDiC) Using Simulation Techniques

Separation processes is largely used in petroleum refining and alcohol industries. Distillation columns consume a huge amount of energy in industrial process. Therefore, the concept of Heat‐Integrated Distillation Column (HIDiC) was studied using simulation techniques in order to overcome this drawback. In this configuration the column is composed for two concentric sections called rectifying and stripping. The heat transfer is conducted from the rectifying section (which works at higher pressure and temperature) to the stripping section (which works at lower pressure and temperature) using the heat present in the process and decreasing the energy charge required by the reboiler. The HIDiC column offers great potential to reduce energy consumption compared to conventional columns. However, the complexity of the internal configuration requires the development of rigorous works that enable a better understanding of the column operation. For this reason, techniques of simulation were used through of computat...