Multivariable control of double-effect distillation configurations

Heat-integrated double effect distillation column design is promising from the viewpoint of energy conservation. However, the control of the system is very difficult in the sense that the system is nonlinear, multivariable and interacting. A new model-based control scheme developed by Hart and Park (AIChE J. 1993, 39 (5), 787) to deal with these difficulties has been applied to these heat-integrated distillation configurations (feed-split configuration, heavy-split configuration). Our simulation results indicate that the control scheme is able to overcome the severity of interactions and shows good control performance for a heat integrated double-effect distillation column with high purity specification.