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Column Operations
Column Operations
Column Operations
Workshop
In this module, you will simulate an Ethanol Plant. You will get more practice with the Column unit operation of HYSYS by:
modelling columns with side draws adding a column with real trays.
Typically an ethanol fermentation process produces mainly ethanol plus several by-products in small quantities: methanol, 1-propanol, 2propanol, 1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-pentanol, acetic acid, and CO2. The CO2 produced in the fermentation vessel carries some ethanol. This CO2 stream is washed with water in a vessel (CO2 Wash) to recover the ethanol, which is recycled to the fermenter. The ethanol rich product stream from the fermenter is sent to a concentration (Conc) tower. An absorber with a side vapour draw can be used to represent this tower. This vapour draw is taken from Stage 2 so as to have an azeotropic ethanol product with less methanol contamination. The top vapour is fed to a light purification tower (Lights) where most of the remaining CO2 and some methanol is vented. The feed to the Rectifier (Rect) is the bottoms product of the Lights purification tower and the vapour draw from the concentration tower. The Rectifier is operated as a conventional distillation tower. Methanol concentrates towards the top stages, so a small distillate draw is provided at the condenser. Also, a small vent for CO2 is provided at the condenser. Another interesting point is the concentration of heavy alcohols in the interior of the Rectifier. These alcohols are normally referred to as Fusel oils. Fusel oils are a mixture of propanols, butanols and pentanols, with a potential value superior to that of ethanol. Accumulation of fusel oils in the Rectification Tower can cause the formation of a second liquid phase and subsequent deterioration of performance for these trays, so small side liquid draws of fusel oils are installed on the rectifier to avoid this problem.
Column Operations
Learning Objectives
Once you have completed this section, you will be able to:
Model a distillation column with side draws Add specifications to a column Add efficiencies to a column
Prerequisites
Before beginning this section, you need to be able to:
Process Overview
Column Operations
Column Overviews
CO2 Wash
Concentrator
Lights
Column Operations
Rectifier
Column Operations
3.
Enter...
Column Operations
Conditions Stream Name Temperature Pressure Mass Flow Composition - Mass Fraction Ethanol H2O CO2 Methanol Acetic Acid 1-Propanol 2-Propanol 1-Butanol 3-M-1-C4ol 2-Pentanol Glycerol 0.0637 0.8759 0.0601 4.433e-5 1.026e-5 2.802e-5 2.808e-5 2.505e-5 9.727e-5 2.457e-5 3.141e-5 FromFerm 30C (86F) 102 kPa (15 psia) 46 720 kg/h (1.03e+05 lb/hr)
Conditions Stream Name Temperature Pressure Mass Flow Composition - Mass Fraction H2O 100% Steam A 140C (284F) 102 kPa (15 psia) 11 000 kg/h (24,250 lb/hr)
Column Operations
Enter...
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Column Operations
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Column Types
HYSYS has several basic Column Templates (pre-constructed column configurations) which may be used for installing a new Column, allowing HYSYS to model several different separation processes. This module will introduce the Absorber. Subsequent modules will present different columns so that, by the end of this course, most types of columns will have been used.
Initial Estimates
In order to calculate, the Column solver in HYSYS requires usersupplied estimates ranging from condition parameters to feed and draw locations. These data can be supplied in several ways. The first interface when you select a Column requires values for the Number of Trays, Reflux, Pressure, and so on. In the Column Solver, on the Work Sheet tab, Conditions page, data can also be supplied. On the Design tab, Specs page, HYSYS allows you to choose from a library of specifications gathered in the Column Specification Types window, activated when you press the Add button. Specification Types can be supplied as Estimates or as Active specifications. Only Active specifications fill the Degree of Freedom of the Column which must be zero for the solver to calculate. Inactive specifications (Estimates) are used only as initial estimates for the convergence algorithm and never use a degree of freedom. Alternatively, Estimates can be supplied on the Estimates page under the Parameters tab. However, they will not appear on the Monitor, and hence cannot be set as Active specifications. If the user does not have initial estimates HYSYS generates them. However for chemical systems, it is recommended to use the HYSYS Estimate Generator tool. In the Column Environment, on the Parameters tab, Solver page, there is the Initial Estimate Generator
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Column Operations
Parameters box. By checking the box, the IEG will perform iterative flash calculations to provide the initial estimates for the temperature and composition profiles. No user estimates are required when the Iterative IEG check box is activated.
Add an Absorber with the information shown here on the first Connections page.
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2.
On the Pressure Profile page, enter the following values. If using field units, the values for the Top and Bottom stage pressures will be 14 and 15 psia, respectively.
3. 4.
Press the Done button to complete the column installation. Press the Run button on the column property view to converge the column.
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Column Operations
Concentrator
This tower removes most of the Methanol from the Fermentor products. The Concentrator is an Absorber with a side vapour draw. In This Cell...
Connections Column Name No. of Stages Feed Conc 17 Beer (Top Stage) Steam A (Bottom Stage) Ovhd Vapour Bottoms Liquid Vapour Side Draw Pressure Top Stage Pressure Bottom Stage Pressure Temperatures Stage 1 Temp Estimate Stage 17 Temp Estimate 90C (195F) 110C (230F) 100 kPa (14.5 psia) 102 kPa (15 psia) To Light Stillage A Rect Feed, Stage 6
Enter...
By default, whenever a side draw stream is added to a column, HYSYS automatically creates a Draw Rate specification for that stream. This eliminates the additional DOF that adding the side draw stream would normally produce. However, in this case, we do not need a Draw Rate specification for this stream; therefore, we need to replace the Draw Rate specification that HYSYS added automatically with one that we will define to meet our simulation needs.
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1.
Go to the Specs page on the Design tab of the column property view.
2. 3.
Press the Add button in the Column Specifications group to create a new specification. Select the specification you want from the list that appears.In this case, we want to add a Column Component Recovery specification.
4.
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5.
This specification will set the ratio of ethanol recovered in the specified stream compared to the amount of ethanol fed to the column. Here, we have set this ratio at 0.95, meaning that 95% of the ethanol supplied to the column is recovered in the Rect Feed stream. We are not concerned about where the other 5% goes, although it must exit the column in one of the other product streams. 6. With the columns DOF (degrees of freedom) at 0, and we need to set which specifications should be active and which HYSYS can use as estimates only. On the Monitor page of the Design tab, ensure that the Ethanol Recovery specification is active and that all others are inactive. We can now start the column runner and allow HYSYS to find a solution for this column. Press the Run button now to begin the column solver. Save your case.
7.
8.
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Lights
The Lights Tower is a purification tower. Add the Refluxed Absorber column and enter the following data.
Refluxed Absorber button
In this cell...
Connections (Input Expert Page 1) Column Name No. of Stages Bottom Stage Inlet Condenser Type Bottoms Liquid Condenser Energy Overhead Outlets Pressure (Input Expert Page 2) Delta P Condenser Pressure Bottom Stage Pressure Temperatures (Input Expert Page 3) Not Required Specifications (Input Expert Page 4) Vapour Flow Reflux Ratio
Enter...
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The Lights column requires 1 more specification; currently the DOF = 0, but we do not want to use these specifications to converge the column. The Reflux Ratio of 5 is only an estimate, and we will need to add another specifications that HYSYS will use to solve the column. Add a Column Component Fraction specification with the following information: In this Cell...
Name Stage Flow Basis Phase Spec Value Component
Enter...
Ethanol Purity Condenser Mass Fraction Liquid (default) 0.88 Ethanol
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Rectifier
The primary product from a plant such as this would be the azeotropic mixture of ethanol and water. The Rectifier serves to concentrate the water/ethanol mixture to near azeotropic composition. The Rectifier is operated as a conventional distillation tower. It contains a partial condenser as well as a reboiler.
Distillation column button
Add a Distillation Column and enter the data shown here. In This Cell...
Connections Column Name No. of Stages Inlet Streams Rect 59 ToRect, Stage 38 RectFeed, Stage 44 Condenser Type Overhead Vapour Overhead Liquid Bottoms Liquid Condenser Energy Reboiler Energy Optional Side Draws Stream 1st Prod, Type L, Stage 2 Fusel, Type L, Stage 37 Pressures Condenser Reboiler Specifications Reflux Ratio Ovhd Vap Rate Distillate Rate 7100 4.3 kg/h 2.0 kg/h 100 kPa (14.5 psia) 105 kPa (15 psia) Partial RectVap RectDist Stillage B RectCond Q Rect Reb Q
Enter...
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Specification 2
Fusel Rate 3 kg/h (6 lb/hr)
2.
Add one Column Component Fraction specification with the following information: Enter...
Product Purity Stream (radio button) 1st Prod Mass Fraction 0.95 Ethanol
In This Cell...
Name Target Type Draw Basis Spec Value Component
3.
Reflux Ratio Ovhd Vap Rate Distillate Rate Fusel Rate Product Purity
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4.
On the Efficiencies page of the Parameters tab, add Stage Efficiencies of 0.55 for all the stages except feed and product stages (2, 37, 38, 44, and 59), where it must remain at 1. You can save time during this step by entering the value (0.55) in the Eff. Multi. Spec cell, selecting a number of cells on the right, and pressing the Specify button. On the Solver page of the Parameters tab, set the Damping Factor to Adaptive and ensure that the Azeotropic check box is checked. Due to the azeotropic nature of ethanol and water, we need to have this box checked so that HYSYS is able to handle this situation. Setting the damping factor at adaptive allows HYSYS to adjust this parameter to help ensure that the solver can reach a solution. Press the Run button to converge the column. If the column does not converge quickly, stop the solver and increase the Fusel draw rate spec value to 10 kg/h (20 lb/hr), and try again. Once the column has converge, the Fusel draw rate can be returned to its original level. What is the mass fraction of Ethanol in the "1st Prod" stream when the column is converged? ____________
The stage efficiencies for all feed and product stages must remain at 1. The HYSYS column solver is not able to handle non-ideal feed and draw stages at this time.
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6.
Due to the fact that HYSYS calculation of non-ideal trays does not take into account side-streams, efficiencies on stages with feeds, draws (reboilers and condensers included) and equipment connected to columns, have to be left at their default value of 1.0.
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the stage by stage composition profile: 1. 2. 3. Move to the Performance tab in the Column Runner. Go to the Profiles page. Highlight Composition in the Tray by Tray Properties group Press the View Graph button. In this view we can see the compositions on each tray.
We wish to view the 1-Propanol composition on Tray 37. The initial graph will not contain this component. To modify the components in this view, you must press the Properties button. This will open the Properties View: 1. 2. Check the 1-Propanol box in the Components group. Close this view to return to the graph.
Stage 37 has the highest concentration of 1-Propanol (which has the greatest concentration among the heavy alcohols). Therefore, we have selected the appropriate stage for the Fusel draw.
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Optional Challenge
Replacing the Kettle Reboiler with a Thermosyphon Reboiler
In this portion of the module, we will replace the default kettle type reboiler on the Rectifier column with a "Thermosyphon" type reboiler. Thermosyphon reboilers are commonly used in this type of application, and it is often desired to use HYSYS to simulate the operation of the column with this type of reboiler as it will provide a more accurate simulation of the actual physical set-up of the equipment. In order to change the kettle reboiler to a thermosyphon, we will have to add one additional stage to the column. This additional stage functions as a liquid sump that allows liquid to be drawn from the column and liquid to be fed to the column from the reboiler. With thermosyphon reboilers, both liquid and vapour are returned to the column rather than just the vapour that is returned to the column with standard kettle reboilers. Following the steps below will allow you to replace the standard kettle reboiler with a thermosyphon type reboiler. 1. Change the number of stages in the column to 60. This value can be accessed from the Connections page of the columns property viewer. Enter the Column Environment by pressing the Column Environment button on the property viewer. Disconnect the "Stillage B" stream from the reboiler and reattach it as a material withdraw stream from stage 60. Disconnect the "Boilup" stream from stage 60 and reattach it to stage 59. You will need to expand the trays shown by the column icon in order to attach the stream to this tray. Right-click on the tray section, and select Show Trays. Use the Radio button to select Full Expansion, or scroll down and check to Show box for stage 59. Attach the reboilers liquid product outlet (formerly the location of "Stillage B" stream) to the inlet point on stage 60.
2. 3. 4.
5.
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6.
7.
Adding another Side Draw to the column (Stillage B) means that HYSYS has created another Draw Rate specification and the DOF remains at 0. Add a Column Vapour Fraction specification to the column with the following information: Enter...
Reboiler V.F. Reboiler 0.0
8.
In This Cell...
Name Stage Spec Value
9.
Activate this new specification, and deactivate the Draw Rate specification that HYSYS created. The column should resolve automatically; if it does not, press the Run button to allow the column to converge.
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