Prospectus

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MD-4 Rate Based Systems Expected Benefit toMembers: Reduced number of trays or reduced packing height due to ability to more accurately predict the component separation. Present Situation and Proposed Research: FRI are based on predicting how closely the mass transfer approaches equilibrium. It is possible that another conceptual approach would provide better predictions of distillation performance. Once such approach is the use of rate-based mass transfer. FRI has not investigated in any major way this alternative computation approach. Perhaps it provides a more accurate framework to allow the modeling of mass transfer. We propose to obtain a rate-based computation tool and test it against FRI data. This may mean licensing a process simulator or working in partnership with a process simulator vendor. The tool would be used to investigate how well it does in predicting the existing FRI test data. It is expected that all the data necessary for the computations may not be available. Correlation from the literature will tested to see if they are sufficient or if additional FRI experimental work is needed. A separate prospectus item would cover that work. Proposed Internals and Test System: None. Estimated Unit Time: Developmental Research Idea Background and Discussion: There are a number of approaches to determining the amount of mass transfer that takes place during distillation. FRI’s effort has primarily been towards how far the mass transfer extends towards obtaining complete equilibrium. Would a different approach provide a better prediction of the mass transfer? There are also issues in applying the FRI correlations. The FRI work was primarily with binary systems. How does one apply these correlations to a multicomponent system to get proper results? Please note that the information proposed here may also be required by a CFD approach to performing distillation computations. This approach here would use relatively simple computations for the flow pattern on a tray, but would investigate issues such as contact area. That information would most likely also be required by the CFD approach to solving the computations. No column time is needed. The initial phases suggested here are simple paper studies. They would identify what data is needed by a rate-based distillation computation. The result of this work would be to propose specific tests to be conducted to get the necessary data to support input to the rate based distillation computations. In other words, more prospectus items would be generated from this paper study. Estimated Additional Costs (Beyond Unit Time): Most likely contract work ($25,000).

PROSPECTUS

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