Computational simulation applied to the investigation of industrial plants for bioethanol distillation

► An alcoholic wine containing ethanol, water and seventeen other congeners was considered in the simulations. ► A validation of simulations against experimental samples collected in a Brazilian industrial plant was performed. ► Industrial information about the distillation columns specifications wa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Computers & chemical engineering Vol. 46; pp. 1 - 16
Main Authors:	Batista, Fabio R.M., Follegatti-Romero, Luis A., Bessa, L.C.B.A., Meirelles, Antonio J.A.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 15-11-2012 Elsevier
Subjects:	Applied sciences Aspen Plus Bioethanol Biological and medical sciences Distillation Exact sciences and technology Food industries Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology Fusel oil Inventory control, production control. Distribution Minor components Operational research and scientific management Operational research. Management science Sugar industries Wine distillation Distillation Minor components Aspen Plus Bioethanol Fusel oil Wine distillation Energy consumption Biofuel Optimization Energy dissipation Sequential method Response surface Ethanol Legislation Product specification Industrial plant Energy recovery Experimental study Quadratic programming Water vapor Operating conditions Production management Control loop Experimental design Condition of use Factorial design
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Summary:	► An alcoholic wine containing ethanol, water and seventeen other congeners was considered in the simulations. ► A validation of simulations against experimental samples collected in a Brazilian industrial plant was performed. ► Industrial information about the distillation columns specifications was considered in the study. ► An attempt to optimize the traditional process was evaluated by two optimization tools: CCRD and SQP. ► Dynamic simulations were performed to evaluate the influence of some operational conditions on quality standards parameters. This work aimed to investigate a typical bioethanol distillation process considering an alcoholic wine with 19 components and to validate the simulation results against experimental data collected from a Brazilian sugar mill. The process was investigated in terms of bioethanol alcoholic graduation, ethanol recovery, energy consumption and ethanol loss. Two optimizing approaches were tested: the central composite design (CCD) and the sequential quadratic programming (SQP). Both approaches allowed the optimization of the equipment configuration used nowadays and provided similar optimal conditions. The results showed that the simulation approach was capable of correctly reproducing a real plant of bioethanol distillation and that the optimal conditions guaranteed the bioethanol production according to legislation, with low consumption of steam and high recovery of ethanol. On the other hand, substantial fluctuations in wine composition may require adjustments of operational conditions or the use of specific control loops to prevent an off-specification product.
ISSN:	0098-1354 1873-4375
DOI:	10.1016/j.compchemeng.2012.06.004