Effect of Plate Number on Purity of Styrene in Continuous Distillation Column?

Effect of Plate Number on Purity of Styrene in Continuous Distillation Column

in chemical production, distillation technology is widely used to separate mixtures, and continuous distillation column is a common separation equipment. As an important chemical product, the purity of styrene directly affects the subsequent production process and product quality. Therefore, it is very important to understand the influence of the number of plates in the continuous distillation column on the purity of styrene. In this paper, the basic concept of plate number, the influence of plate number on separation efficiency and the optimization of plate number are analyzed in detail.

1. The basic concept of the number of trays

continuous distillation column is a kind of efficient separation equipment, its core component is the tray. The role of the tray is to provide the contact area of the liquid phase and the gas phase, so that the mixture is separated in stages in the column. The number of plates refers to the number of plates in the column, usually calculated in layers. The more the number of trays, the stronger the separation capacity of the tower, but also requires more investment and energy.

In the production process of styrene, the main function of the distillation column is to separate the target product (styrene) from impurities in the mixture to obtain high-purity styrene products. The number of trays directly affects the separation efficiency and the purity of styrene.

2. The effect of the number of trays on the separation efficiency.

The effect of the number of plates in the continuous distillation column on the purity of styrene is mainly reflected in the separation efficiency. Separation efficiency refers to the number of high purity products that can be separated in a unit of time. The more the number of trays, the more complete the mass transfer process of the mixture in the column, the better the separation effect, and the higher the purity of styrene.

Specifically, the increase in the number of trays can bring the following benefits:

• increase mass transfer area: More trays provide a larger contact area for liquid and gas phases, which helps to improve the transfer efficiency of substances.
• Extended separation path: More trays means that the mixture stays in the tower longer, so there are more opportunities to separate high-purity styrene.
• Reduce impurity residues: The increase in the number of trays can more effectively separate styrene from impurities, reduce the residue of impurities in the product, and improve the purity of styrene.

The number of trays is not the more the better. As the number of trays increases, the investment cost and operating energy consumption of the equipment will also increase significantly. Therefore, in actual production, it is necessary to select the appropriate number of trays according to specific process requirements and economic conditions.

3. Consequences of insufficient number of trays

if the number of trays is insufficient, the separation efficiency will be seriously affected, resulting in a decrease in the purity of styrene. Specific performance is:

• impurity residue: A small number of trays cannot provide sufficient separation effect, resulting in impurities mixed with styrene in the product and reducing purity.
• Decreased product purity: Insufficient number of trays means that the contact time of the mixture in the tower is shortened, the separation is not complete, and the purity of the product is difficult to meet the requirements.
• Increased energy consumption: In order to obtain the same purity, a higher reflux ratio or longer operation may be required, thereby increasing energy consumption.

Therefore, selecting the appropriate number of trays is the key to ensure the purity and production efficiency of styrene.

4. Optimization of the number of trays

in order to achieve a balance between efficient separation and economy, the number of trays needs to be optimized. The goal of optimization is to reduce equipment investment and operating costs under the premise of meeting the requirements of styrene purity.

Optimization method:

• calculation of separation efficiency: The separation efficiency under different plate numbers is calculated by mathematical model, and the minimum plate number required to achieve the target purity is determined.
• Experimental verification: Experiments are carried out in the laboratory or on a small test device to verify the accuracy of theoretical calculations and adjust the number of trays.
• Economic assessment: Considering the influence of the number of trays on equipment investment, operating cost and product purity, the optimal scheme is selected.

5. Other factors affecting the purity of styrene

in addition to the number of trays, there are other factors that can affect the purity of styrene, such:

• feed position: The adjustment of the feed position will affect the distribution and separation effect of the mixture in the tower.
• reflux ratio: The size of the reflux ratio directly affects the separation efficiency and energy consumption.
• Operating conditions: The adjustment of operating conditions such as temperature, pressure and flow rate will also affect the separation effect.

The influence of the plate number of continuous distillation column on the purity of styrene is various. Increasing the number of trays can improve the separation efficiency and product purity, but it is necessary to consider the economic and technical feasibility. By optimizing the number of trays and other process parameters, high-efficiency separation and high-quality production of styrene can be achieved.