Startup operation of middle-vessel batch distillation column: Modeling and simulation

The objective of this article is to extensively analyze and discuss the startup of a middle-vessel batch distillation (MVBD) column by means of dynamic modeling and simulation. A rigorous model describing the entire process of an MVBD column including startup from ambient conditions is presented. The model considers the heating of the distillation column and peripheral equipment, as well as the formation and propagation of hydrodynamic and thermodynamic profiles. The physical validity is shown by comparison of simulation studies with experimental results. Sensitivity analyses are used to study startup operation and promote a deeper understanding of the process. General guidelines are provided to standardize and improve the process. The theoretical examinations offer the basis for the development of improved process control strategies and recipe-based automation concepts, as well as for dynamic optimization studies.