A Novel Process Employing Dividing Wall Column and Double Effect Distillation

The energy saving, waste water reduction and economic performance of a novel process for purifying methanol, which employs dividing wall column and double effect distillation, was investigated by steady state simulation in comparison with two-column conventional distillation process and three-column double effect distillation process. Results showed that the novel process could reduce steam consumption by 34% comparing to the two-column process and had comparative ability in energy saving with three-column double effect process. Meanwhile it can reduce waste water by 20% and 20%, period for recovery of investment by 8.6% and by 5.1%, comparing to the two processes above respectively.