Revaluation of the distillation column top purge streams

Identifier:  TFM:2239

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFM2239

Authors:  Navas Martínez, Maria

Abstract:
The project deals with the recovery of a waste gas stream generated in the extractive distillation of ethylene and propylene. This current carries ethylene, hydrogen and nitrogen, which entails energy and environmental losses. It is proposed to treat it by means of a VPSA process, which selectively adsorbs ethylene using activated carbon. The stream was characterised, experimental data were fitted to thermodynamic models and a dynamic model was developed in Aspen Adsorption. The results demonstrate the technical feasibility of the system to recover ethylene, with economic and environmental benefits, laying the foundations for its possible industrial implementation aligned with sustainability objectives.