The functions of the stripping section and the rectification section
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This post was last edited by Sir Charles on 2019-2-20 09:47. Our company uses a 3+1 column methanol distillation process; in 2016, we carried out expansion upgrades to the gasifier, shift reactor, purification units, etc., which increased our production capacity by 37%. After those upgrades, the levels of water and ethanol in the distillate kept deteriorating. Last year, we modified the stripping section of the pressure column by replacing the packing with high-efficiency trays. As a result, although the water content remains high (0.05–0.1%), the ethanol level has improved (100–300 ppm). Currently, the ethanol level in the atmospheric pressure column is still high (800–1500 ppm), but the water content is better (0.02–0.04%). I would like to ask everyone: would modifying the stripping section of the atmospheric pressure column also be effective? Would the water content increase significantly after such a modification?
The original designed production capacity of a set of equipment is within a certain range; exceeding this range is not allowed. If equipment renovation and upgrading are to be carried out, professional manufacturers should handle the task. If it’s about spending less money on small devices, then investing a modest amount of capital to upgrade those small devices to achieve higher production capacity is an option. If possible, it would be better in the future to produce only one standard set of components in the market, with the rest being able to be expanded as needed through modules.
The distillation unit was designed with a considerable margin of capacity when it was built, and before the renovation, the design institute also evaluated the unit; the result was that its processing capacity was sufficient