Novel Methodology for determining the optimal vapor recompressed assisted distillation process based on economic and energy efficiency

Abstract In the paper, a systematic method is designed to decide the optimal vapor recompressed heat pump assisted distillation (VRC) scheme by comparing the heat contributed by overhead vapor (ΔH0) and the heat required of reboiler (QR). And the influence of working fluid on VRC distillation process is considered. If the working fluid is dry fluid, the overhead stream should be preheated prior to being compressed. Three cases are selected to prove the proposed method. When the ΔH0 is less than the QR, adding preheater at the top of column or auxiliary bottom reboiler are favorable choices aspects of cost (TAC), energy saving performance (TUC) and coefficient of performance of compressor (COP). When the ΔH0 is more than QR, the VRC distillation process with the splitting overhead stream is the better scheme aspects of TAC, TUC and COP.