Operation Strategies to Minimize Methanol Recovery in Batch Distillation of Hydroalcoholic Mixtures

Abstract

AbstractThis work focuses on applying dynamic simulation to explore operating conditions of a packed batch distillation column for reducing the relative concentration of methanol in the distillate. Based on trial-and-error, we studied different cooling rate trajectories of the partial condenser, which has a direct impact on the reflux and distillate rates. Simulations showed that higher cooling rates and smaller cut times achieved lower relative concentrations of methanol in the distillate. Our study suggests that the best operating strategy cannot reduce the relative methanol concentration in the distillate more than 25% compared with the relative methanol concentration in the wine.