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[JakeVincent]

Dear all,

 

I am exploring the idea of using methanol to extract a gaseous mixture of ethylbenzene, styrene, toluene and benzene from waste gases via a gas absorber, then recovering the aromatics and methanol via a methanol-water extraction process. Using Hysys, I was able to converge this unit operation using SRK fluid package.

 

However, I understand the existence of a binary azeotrope between benzene and methanol, which may actually pose as a problem to the L-L separation step. Based on my understanding, Residue Curve Maps (RCM) can be employed to determine such separation possibilities and check the soundness of predicted simulations.

 

I have generated some RCMs and T-xy diagrams using Aspen Plus based on different 3-component combinations of the above mixture, but have no idea if I am doing the right thing, nor do I know how to interpret the data I have (even if they are correct).

 

 Ben-Meth T-xy.PNG   22.09KB   1 downloads

 EB-STY-METH.PNG   67.56KB   1 downloads

 TOL-BEN-METH.PNG   61.93KB   1 downloads

 

Using UNIQUAC, this is the T-XY and Y-X graphs of the binary azeotrope

 Ben-Meth T-xy (uniquac).PNG   331.69KB   1 downloads

 Ben-Meth X-Y (uniquac).PNG   28.8KB   1 downloads

 

Additionally, how should I go about verifying if my gas absorber and liquid extractor operation in HYSYS is reliable in my simulation? Any help will be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

Best regards,

Edited by JakeVincent, 18 April 2014 - 11:52 AM.