Dehydration of Isopropanol: A Comparative Review of Distillation Processes, Heat Integration, and Intensification Techniques

Abstract

The dehydration of isopropanol (IPA) is a crucial process in numerous industries, and the optimization of its efficiency and economic viability is essential. This review provides a comprehensive analysis and comparison of various distillation processes, heat integration (HI) strategies, and process intensification (PI) techniques employed for IPA dehydration. The advantages, limitations, and applicability of distillation processes, such as extractive distillation, heterogeneous azeotropic distillation, and pressure swing distillation, are discussed. In addition, this review explores the potential of HI techniques to optimize energy consumption and reduce operating costs of IPA dehydration processes. PI techniques, including thermally coupled arrangements and dividing wall columns, are examined for their ability to improve the process efficiency and sustainability. It is crucial to conduct thorough evaluations, as well as energy and economic analyses, when choosing the appropriate distillation process, HI approach, and PI technique for specific IPA dehydration applications. This review emphasizes the potential for improving the energy efficiency, product purity, and cost-effectiveness of IPA dehydration through the integration of advanced distillation processes and PI techniques.