Azeotropic distillation is a special distillation method for separating liquid mixtures, which has better distillation effect and obvious advantages of energy saving and consumption reduction compared with traditional distillation. In this paper, the latest research progress of azeotropic distillation technology in separation, synthesis and energy saving at home and abroad is reviewed. The research progress in separation is reflected in product separation and product purification, and the research progress in energy saving is reflected in heat pump distillation and dividing wall column distillation respectively. Existing studies have shown that azeotropic distillation technology can produce higher purity target products than conventional distillation for the separation and purification of azeotropic or near-boiling compounds. Heat pump distillation and dividing wall column distillation are used in azeotropic distillation field, resulting in obvious energy-saving effect for distillation equipment. The follow-up research direction of new separation technology with the goal of reducing energy consumption and exploring new materials as entraining agents should be studied in detail, which provides certain guidance for the development of distillation technology in China’s chemical industry.
Ren, H.L., An, D.C., Zhu, T.Y., et al. (2016) Research Progress and Industrial Application of Distillation Technology. Chemical Industry and Engineering Progress, 35, 2-20.
Zhao, L., Lyu, X.Y., Wang, W.C., et al. (2017) Comparison of Heterogeneous Azeotropic Distillation and Extractive Distillation Methods for Ternary Azeotrope Ethanol/Toluene/Water Separation. Computers and Chemical Engineering, 100, 27-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compchemeng.2017.02.007
Waltermann, T., Münchrath, T. and Skiborowski, M. (2017) Efficient Optimization-Based Design of Energy-Intensified Azeotropic Distillation Processes. Computer Aided Chemical Engineering, 40, 1045-1050. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-63965-3.50176-8
Lü, L., Zhu, L., Liu, H., et al. (2018) Comparison of Continuous Homogenous Azeotropic and Pressure-Swing Distillation for a Minimum Azeotropic System Ethyl Acetate/Nhexane Separation. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 26, 2023-2033. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjche.2018.02.002
Guang, C., Shi, X.J., Zhang, Z.S., et al. (2019) Comparison of Heterogeneous Azeotropic and Pressure-Swing Distillations for Separating the Diisopropylether/Isopropanol/Water Mixtures. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 143, 249-260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2019.01.021
Zhao, T., Geng, X., Qi, P., et al. (2018) Optimization of Liquid-Liquid Extraction Combined with Either Heterogeneous Azeotropic Distillation or Extractive Distillation Processes to Reduce Energy Consumption and Carbon Dioxide Emissions. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 132, 398-408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2018.01.037
Tabari, A. and Ahmad, A. (2015) A Semicontinuous Approach for Heterogeneous Azeotropic Distillation Processes. Computers and Chemical Engineering, 73, 183-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compchemeng.2014.12.005
Cui, Y., Shi, X.J., Guang, C., et al. (2019) Comparison of Pressure-Swing Distillation and Heterogeneous Azeotropic Distillation for Recovering Benzene and Isopropanol from Waste Water. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 122, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2018.11.017
Liu, W. and Ma, Y.H. (2016) Optimization of Heteroaldehyde-Water Heterogeneous Azeotropic Distillation Separation Process. Chemical Process and Engineering, 37, 1-5.
Yan, J.Z. and Zhou, J. (2017) Simulation Analysis and Optimization of Aromatic Alcohol-Water Separation by Azeotropic Distillation. Guangdong Chemical Industry, 44, 1-2.
Fan, Y.M. (2015) Simulation Study on Cyclohexane-Tert-Butanol-Water Azeotropic Distillation. Tianjin Chemical Industry, 29, 1-4.
Wang, S.J. and Wong, D.S.H. (2013) Online Switching of Entrainers for Acetic Acid Dehydration by Heterogeneous Azeotropic Distillation. Journal of Process Control, 23, 78-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jprocont.2012.09.009
Devi, V.K.P.J., Sai, P.S.T. and Balakrishnan, A.R. (2017) Heterogeneous Azeotropic Distillation for the Separation of n-Propanol + Water Mixture Using n-Propyl Acetate as Entrainer. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 447, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fluid.2017.05.012
Boli, E., Dimou, E. and Voutsas, E. (2017) Separation of the Isopropanol-Water Azeotropic Mixture Using Ionic Liquids. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 456, 77-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fluid.2017.10.003
Zhang, Z.G., Yang, R., Li, W.X., et al. (2018) Separation of Acetonitrile and Methanol Azeotropic Mixture Using Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids as Entrainers. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 477, 12-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fluid.2018.08.009
Li, Y.J. and Lu, Y.J. (2016) Simulation Design of Acetic Acid-Water Azeotropic Distillation Process. Chemical Design, 26, 1-5.
Tang, S.S. and Li, S.J. (2012) Effect of Methyl Acetate on Dehydration Azeotropic Distillation of Acetic Acid. Journal of East China University of Science and Technology, 38, 1-6.
Wang, Y., Liu, Z.J. and Yuan, H. (2010) Simulated Study on Separation of Acetic Acid and Water by Azeotropic Distillation. Modern Chemical, 30, 1-2.
Yang, Y., Fan, K.G., Bai, P., et al. (2017) Azeotropic Distillation Separation of 2-Methylpyridine and Water. Chemical Industry and Engineering Progress, 36, 1-7.
Bai, X.H. and Zhao, Y. (2018) Separation of Pyridine-Water by Azeotropic Distillation Based on ASPEN PLUS. Guangdong Chemical Industry, 45, 1-3.
Xiong, S., Hua, C., Ning, G.Q., et al. (2016) Process Simulation and Optimization of Aromatic Alcohol-Water Separation by Azeotropic Distillation. Computer and Applied Chemistry, 33, 1-6.
Li, Q.S., Xie, L., Li, J.X., et al. (2018) Aspen Simulation and Optimization of Azeotropic Distillation Separation of Butene-Based Waste Liquid System. Journal of Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 45, 1-6.
Hong, S.F. (2018) Simulation of Pressure Swing Azeotropic Distillation in Tetrahydrobark-Water System. Chemical Engineering and Equipment, 11, 1-3.
Yue, G.J., Dong, H.X. and Jiang, Q.L. (2008) Experimental Study on Preparation of Absolute Ethanol by Azeotropic Distillation. Chemical Engineering, 53, 1002-1124.
Yang, Z.W. and Sun, Q.W. (2017) Azeotropic Rectification of High Temperature Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis of Oxygenates in C8 Fractions. Chemical Industry and Engineering Progress, 36, 1-6.
Wei, T.Y., Tuo, X.X. and Tong, Z.F. (2003) Synthesis of Isoamyl Acetate by a New Apparatus for Azeotropic Distillation of Water Esterification. Journal of Guangxi University (Natural Science Edition), 28, 1-4.
Li, J. and Wang, T. (2010) Coupling Reaction and Azeotropic Distillation for the Synthesis of Glycerol Carbonate from Glycerol and Dimethyl Carbonate. Chemical Engineering and Processing, Process Intensification, 49, 530-535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cep.2010.04.003
Tuo, X.X. and Wei, T.Y. (2002) Synthesis of Ethyl Lactate by Azeotropic Distillation. Guangxi Science, 9, 281-283.
Ashish, S., Sergio, D.C. and Rangaiah, G.P. (2019) Heat-Pump Assisted Distillation versus Double-Effect Distillation for Bioethanol Recovery Followed by Pressure Swing Adsorption for Bioethanol Dehydration. Separation and Purification Technology, 210, 574-586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2018.08.043
Liu, Y.L., Zhai, J., Li, L., et al. (2015) Heat Pump Assisted Reactive and Azeotropic Distillations in Dividing Wall Columns. Chemical Engineering and Processing, Process Intensification, 95, 289-301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cep.2015.07.001
Qian, X., Huang, K.J., Chen, H.S., et al. (2019) Intensifying Kaibel Dividing-Wall Column via Vapor Recompression Heat Pump. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 142, 195-203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2018.12.015
Li, J., Xiong, S., Bai, F., et al. (2018) Study on Energy-Saving Technology of Azeotropic Distillation Process for Allyl Alcohol Dehydration. Computer and Applied Chemistry, 35, 1-10.
Chen, J.X., Ye, Q., Liu, T., Feng, S.Y., et al. (2018) Improving the Performance of Heterogeneous Azeotropic Distillation via Self-Heat Recuperation Technology. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 141, 516-528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2018.11.022
Lu, X.Y., Zhao, L., Wang, W.C., et al. (2017) Separation of Ethanol-Toluene Ice Ternary Azeotropic Mixture by Heat Pump Self-Entrainment Azeotropic Distillation. Journal of Changzhou University (Natural Science Edition), 29, 1-6.
Kiss, A.A., Landaeta, S.J.F. and Ferreira, C.A.I. (2012) Towards Energy Efficient Distillation Technologies-Making the Right Choice. Energy, 47, 531-542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2012.09.038
Hu, Y.Q., Fang, J., Li, C.L., et al. (2015) Research Progress on Design and Control of Adjacent Tower. Journal of Tianjin Polytechnic University, 34, 1-6.
Wang, X.H., Zhang, Y.P., Yu, X.S., et al. (2018) Economic Comparison and Analysis of Conventional Azeotropic Distillation Process for n-Propanol Dehydration and Rectification of Dividing Column. Journal of Qingdao University of Science and Technology, 39, 1-9.
Meng, Y. (2016) Study on the Rectification Process of Methyl Methacrylate Crude Monomer. Tianjin University, Tianjin.
Le, Q.-K., Halvorsen, I.J., Pajalic, O. and Skogestad, S. (2015) Dividing Wall Columns for Heterogeneous Azeotropic Distillation. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 99, 111-119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2015.03.022
Ma, C.H. and Zeng, A.W. (2013) Research on Process Simulation and Energy Saving Benefit of the Adjacent Tower. Chemical Engineering, 41, 1-6.
Fang, J., Xiang, N., Li, X.C., et al. (2018) Simulation and Experimental Study of Kaibel Partition Tower for Four-Component Distillation. Chemical Industry and Engineering Progress, 37, 1-9.