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Modelling of an ethanol‐water distillation column assisted by an external heat pump
Author(s) -
Oliveira S. B. M.,
Parise J. A. R.,
Marques R. Pitanga
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
international journal of energy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.808
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1099-114X
pISSN - 0363-907X
DOI - 10.1002/er.834
Subject(s) - heat pump , refrigerant , vapor compression refrigeration , distillation , reboiler , process engineering , fractionating column , thermodynamics , ethanol , column (typography) , chemistry , working fluid , multiple effect distillation , mechanical engineering , engineering , fractional distillation , chromatography , heat exchanger , physics , organic chemistry , connection (principal bundle)
This paper presents a simulation of an ethanol–water distillation column assisted by a vapour‐compression heat pump. The heat pump is of the external type, i.e., it uses a working fluid (refrigerant) different from that of the column. A simulation model was developed and four different working fluids were studied: R‐11 and R‐114 and, as substitutes, the column own fluids, water and ethanol. Results from the simulation model have shown that considerable reduction in energy consumption can be achieved with the installation of a heat pump. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.