Help needed with distillation tower operation issues
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The distillation column I am operating now shows that, with the bottom temperature and feed temperature remaining constant, increasing the reflux rate leads to a decrease in the top temperature. Additionally, there is a higher content of light components at the bottom, while there is a higher content of intermediate components at the top. I hope some expert can help analyze this situation.
When the feed condition remains unchanged, increasing the reflux rate should be accompanied by an appropriate increase in the bottom temperature of the tower
Simply increase the temperature at the bottom of the tower. Is increasing the reflux rate intended to ensure product quality? If so, energy consumption will definitely be higher
The phenomenon you’re referring to is typically caused by increased backflow, which leads to the entrainment of foam; this results in an increase in the content of light components at the bottom of the tower and an increase in the content of heavy components at the top. The solution is as mentioned above: increase the temperature at the base of the tower and gradually adjust to achieve balance
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First, ensure that the trays inside the tower are in good condition; I have encountered situations where the trays turned upside down, resulting in poor distillation performance. It can be determined that there’s nothing wrong with the tray; now we need to find the cause. The issue you mentioned is poor separation, and poor separation can also occur when the tower is overloaded. When a problem arises, it’s necessary to investigate step by step, as there are many possible causes.
Thank you all for your help. I’ll find out the reason and share it with you