NRTL model

We analyze the effect of using adjusted parameters, corresponding to local and global optimums, in the NRTL thermodynamic model on the complete process synthesis (design, optimization and control) of homogeneous azeotropic distillation columns. The adjusted parameters that corresponding to a global optimum were obtained with simulated annealing technique, while the adjusted parameters that corresponding to a local optimum were taken from Dechema Collection. Both sets of parameters were used to design a conventional sequence, a side-stream column and a Petlyuk sequence. These designs were used as initial solution to a multiobjective genetic algorithm with constraints handling, coupled to a processes simulator, where the number of stages and heat duty of each column were considered as objectives; as result, a set of optimal designs, called Pareto front, was obtained. Then, we choose some designs in order to analyze their theoretical control properties and the dynamic performance. Resu...