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RATEFRAC® Software integrated into PRO/II™ Simulator
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Distillation, absorption and stripping towers are typically being designed with results from equilibrium stage-based calculations. These calculations are corrected with equipment-specific efficiencies to approximate the mass transfer performance of the internals. For this approach to be reasonably accurate for a new design, detailed historical information of the performance of the particular mass transfer device in the specific service is imperative. For some multi-component systems, component efficiencies have to be used rather than overall stage efficiencies.
The challenges posed by the equilibrium stage-based and equipment efficiency approaches are overcome by using a rate-based approach in the RATEFRAC module. Using the rate-based approach, the rate of transfer of a component across the liquid-vapor interface is calculated based on the properties of the system and the mechanical details of the contacting device. No efficiencies are used in these calculations. The rate-based approach is well suited to handling the following cases:
- Applications with large heat-of-mixing effects
- Services with wide molecular weight range feeds
- Systems with diffusivities that are strongly influenced by composition
The RATEFRAC module was recently integrated into the PRO/II simulation software as another column algorithm. Now you can solve the column using a stage-based method and then switch to the RATEFRAC module with one mouse click. The only other information required is some basic details of the mass transfer device. In addition, the speed and convergence of the software have been dramatically improved.
To learn more about the capabilities of the RATEFRAC module, contact Jeff DeGarmo at Koch-Glitsch (Jeff.DeGarmo@KochGlitsch.com). For more information about PRO/II software, visit www.simsci-esscor.com.
RATEFRAC® and KOCH-GLITSCH® are registered trademarks of Koch-Glitsch, LP.
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