A Detailed Steady-State Control Analysis of an Ethanol-Water Distillation Column

This study addresses the steady-state operation and control of an ethanol-water distillation column. The objective is to develop a clearer understanding of how the control and operation of the column effect the energy consumption. The column control will be analyzed by using the singular value decomposition (SVD) and will be studied at a number of operating conditions. SVD is a useful linear, steady-state tool in the control analysis of multivariable chemical processes. The controller pairing and system evaluation can be ascertained, to a certain degree, by calculating the SVD of the steady state gain matrix. A new method of sensor location called the intersivity index is also presented. The possibility of internal tcomposition sensors is investigated. The column economics will addressed by studying the possibility of dual-ended control and by determining the incremental cost of recovered product.