This thesis presents a method for the synthesis of multicomponent product separation systems which does not require an explicit superstructure. Separator functions are not predetermined and systematic stream splitting and blending are included. The synthesis algorithm employs a depth-first tree search in order to locate solutions and unit design variable discretisation to reduce the search space. The algorithm generates a set of good, feasible solutions which may be further optimised by continuous means. The method is applied to two different types of problems. The first is a petroleum industry problem involving the separation of a two-phase oil stream into specified gas and liquid products. An effect product specification in the form of vapour pressure bounds, is placed on the liquid product. Flash vessels are the separation technology considered and all solutions returned make use of stream blending. The second case study deals with nonideal separation problems. The recycles required to make these processes optimal can be multicomponent streams, for which both fuzzy and effect product specifications are defined. The MCP synthesis method is applied to nonideal problems by adding the means to handle recycles and a procedure for identifying feasible separations. Solutions containing entrainer-rich and azeotrope-rich recycles and boundary-crossing separations are returned for ternary nonideal separation problems.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:666108 |
| Date | January 2000 |
| Creators | McCarthy, Eoin Cathal |
| Publisher | University of Edinburgh |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://hdl.handle.net/1842/11103 |
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