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Papers by Carlo Torres-ortega

Research paper thumbnail of Design and Optimization of a Process Based on Extractive Distillation for the Sweetening Natural Gas

For the sweetening natural gas process, the most used scheme at industrial field is the chemical ... more For the sweetening natural gas process, the most used scheme at industrial field is the chemical absorption by alcohol amines. Recently, Lastari et al., (2010) proposed a design using the cryogenic extractive distillation by employing like entrainer the same hydrocarbon liquefied fractions of the process. In this work, it was used the Aspen Plus One 7.0 (R) simulator, considering non-equilibrium trays to model these schemes, coupled to a multi-objective stochastic optimization procedure, using Differential Evolution (DE) as main algorithm. The optimization is focused on minimizing the Total Annual Costs (TAC) and maximizing the acid gas removal interpreting the information with Pareto fronts. Finally a post-optimization analysis was performed considering a dynamic study by singular value decomposition (SVD) technique, thermodynamic efficiency and greenhouse gases generation studies for several representative spots for each Pareto. The process performance was focused on breaking the ...

Research paper thumbnail of Design and optimization of modified non-sharp column configurations for quaternary distillations

Computers & Chemical Engineering, 2015

ABSTRACT The possible structural changes of a non-sharp quaternary distillation configuration are... more ABSTRACT The possible structural changes of a non-sharp quaternary distillation configuration are considered. For the reference configuration composed of four columns, different alternatives are generated following the process intensification principle to reduce the number of equipment units. The intensified systems with three or two columns are obtained, including the dividing wall columns. Simulator Aspen PlusV8.0 was used to design and simulate all the systems for a hydrocarbon mixture. The intensified structures showed relevant energy savings compared to the reference case. The most promising alternatives were optimized by means of the Differential Evolution (DE) method minimizing the total annual cost (TAC). It was observed that the intensified systems were able to reduce both the energy consumption and the number of equipment units. The best intensified system has a TAC of 11,98% lower than the optimized reference case.

Research paper thumbnail of Design and control of an alternative distillation sequence for bioethanol purification

Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology, 2014

BACKGROUND: Bioethanol is a green fuel considered as a sustainable alternative to petroderived ga... more BACKGROUND: Bioethanol is a green fuel considered as a sustainable alternative to petroderived gasoline. The transport sector higly contributes to carbon dioxide emission and consequently has a negative impact to the air quality and it is responsible to the increase of the greenhouse effect. The availability of enviromental friendly and economic fuels is a worldwide priority. Separation process is the significant technology to produce the fuel grade ethanol in terms of both operating and capital costs. In the present work an alternative distillation sequence for the bioethanol separation is presented. The steady state performance and the dynamic beavior are analyzed compared to the classical configuration reported in the literature.

Research paper thumbnail of A combined method for the design and optimization of intensified distillation systems

Chemical Engineering and Processing: Process Intensification, 2014

The sequential design method (SDM) is a recently introduced distillation column design method bas... more The sequential design method (SDM) is a recently introduced distillation column design method based on the correspondence between the simple column and the alternative sequences design parameters. It can be defined as a method that combines the alternatives generation step with the design procedure. The Multi-Objective Differential Evolution (MODE) algorithm instead, is based on the minimization or maximization of a defined objective function; it is a strong method that allows the evaluation of a large number of alternatives.

Research paper thumbnail of Optimization of Alternative Distillation Sequences for Natural Gas Sweetening

Computer Aided Chemical Engineering, 2014

The separation of CO 2 and/or H 2 S from the natural gas processing is focused on preventing some... more The separation of CO 2 and/or H 2 S from the natural gas processing is focused on preventing some undesired effects, as decreasing the heat capacity in the natural gas, and so on. Moreover, the carbon dioxide removal has an extensive interest in other application fields, like mitigating CO 2 emissions, being an entrainer in EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery), among others. One novelty alternative to deal with CO 2 separation consists in the use of cryogenic extractive distillation by utilizing as entrainer the liquid hydrocarbon fraction obtained in the process. This process has some advantages, such as that the entrainer is CO 2 selective, noncorrosive, and waterless by-product, effective for high CO 2 concentration feedstock. In this work, the Aspen Plus One 7.0 process simulator was used to model the CO 2 -ethane azeotrope for different extractive distillation sequences and distinct entrainers, considering a rate based model. The study included the formal design and optimization (minimizing the Total Annual Cost (TAC) and maximizing the acid gas removal) to finally compare the alternative configurations with the conventional chemical absorption system used in the industrial field. Complementary studies regarding the controllability, thermodynamic efficiency and greenhouse gases generation were conducted. The proposed cryogenic extractive distillation sequences showed, in terms of costs and CO 2 emissions, better performance than the conventional chemical absorption configuration. Even more, the extractive thermally coupled distillation structures reached the best energy savings with appropriate dynamic behavior, making these alternatives competitive and environmentally friendly.

Research paper thumbnail of The importance of the sequential synthesis methodology in the optimal distillation sequences design

Computers & Chemical Engineering, 2014

ABSTRACT The sequential design method is presented as a complementary tool of the systematical sy... more ABSTRACT The sequential design method is presented as a complementary tool of the systematical synthesis procedure that allows to define a clear connection among the different types of distillation column sequences. In particular, the connection with the simple column subspace is considered, since this subspace represents the comparison reference for all the alternatives considered. The sequential design procedure, based on the correspondence between the functionality of the column's section among the simple columns and the derived sequences, is compared with a mathematical based optimization algorithm. The separations of a four-component near ideal mixture and the azeotropic ethanol–water mixture are considered as case studies and the designs obtained applying both methods have been compared. The results confirmed that the sequential design method is a fast and reliable tool in the optimal design of the column sequence.

Research paper thumbnail of Design and optimization of thermally coupled distillation schemes for the trichlorosilane purification process

Applied Thermal Engineering, 2013

An important problem in the bioethanol production process is the purification of ethanol from a d... more An important problem in the bioethanol production process is the purification of ethanol from a dilute solution, i.e., approximately 10% ethanol in water. The key factor in the purification process is the formation of the ethanol-water binary homogeneous azeotrope, and an additional process is required to obtain high purity ethanol that can be used in motor vehicles. This study examines the design and optimization of three extractive distillation options (two with thermal coupling) for the purification of a representative mixture of ethanol and water. These extractive arrangements can produce ethanol as distillate with the required purity and energy savings, reduction in CO 2 emissions, high thermodynamic efficiencies and good control properties.

Research paper thumbnail of Design, Optimization and Controllability of an Alternative Process Based on Extractive Distillation for an ethane-carbon dioxide mixture

Chemical Engineering and Processing

Alternative configurations based on cryogenic extractive distillation for the natural gas sweeten... more Alternative configurations based on cryogenic extractive distillation for the natural gas sweetening process were proposed and simulated by using Aspen Plus One 7.0 coupled to a multi-objective stochastic optimization procedure (Differential Evolution, DE). The evaluation of the performances of the proposed configurations was focused on the carbon dioxide-ethane azeotrope separation considering different liquefied hydrocarbon fractions as entrainers. The design alternatives were compared to the conventional chemical absorption system. The proposed sequences were simultaneously optimized by minimizing the Total Annual Cost (TAC) and maximizing the acid gas removal. Complementary studies regarding the theoretical control properties, thermodynamic efficiency and greenhouse gases generation for several representative operating conditions obtained from the Pareto fronts were conducted. The proposed cryogenic extractive distillation sequences realized the higher carbon dioxide removal tog...

Research paper thumbnail of Design and Optimization of a Process Based on Extractive Distillation for the Sweetening Natural Gas

For the sweetening natural gas process, the most used scheme at industrial field is the chemical ... more For the sweetening natural gas process, the most used scheme at industrial field is the chemical absorption by alcohol amines. Recently, Lastari et al., (2010) proposed a design using the cryogenic extractive distillation by employing like entrainer the same hydrocarbon liquefied fractions of the process. In this work, it was used the Aspen Plus One 7.0 (R) simulator, considering non-equilibrium trays to model these schemes, coupled to a multi-objective stochastic optimization procedure, using Differential Evolution (DE) as main algorithm. The optimization is focused on minimizing the Total Annual Costs (TAC) and maximizing the acid gas removal interpreting the information with Pareto fronts. Finally a post-optimization analysis was performed considering a dynamic study by singular value decomposition (SVD) technique, thermodynamic efficiency and greenhouse gases generation studies for several representative spots for each Pareto. The process performance was focused on breaking the ...

Research paper thumbnail of Design and optimization of modified non-sharp column configurations for quaternary distillations

Computers & Chemical Engineering, 2015

ABSTRACT The possible structural changes of a non-sharp quaternary distillation configuration are... more ABSTRACT The possible structural changes of a non-sharp quaternary distillation configuration are considered. For the reference configuration composed of four columns, different alternatives are generated following the process intensification principle to reduce the number of equipment units. The intensified systems with three or two columns are obtained, including the dividing wall columns. Simulator Aspen PlusV8.0 was used to design and simulate all the systems for a hydrocarbon mixture. The intensified structures showed relevant energy savings compared to the reference case. The most promising alternatives were optimized by means of the Differential Evolution (DE) method minimizing the total annual cost (TAC). It was observed that the intensified systems were able to reduce both the energy consumption and the number of equipment units. The best intensified system has a TAC of 11,98% lower than the optimized reference case.

Research paper thumbnail of Design and control of an alternative distillation sequence for bioethanol purification

Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology, 2014

BACKGROUND: Bioethanol is a green fuel considered as a sustainable alternative to petroderived ga... more BACKGROUND: Bioethanol is a green fuel considered as a sustainable alternative to petroderived gasoline. The transport sector higly contributes to carbon dioxide emission and consequently has a negative impact to the air quality and it is responsible to the increase of the greenhouse effect. The availability of enviromental friendly and economic fuels is a worldwide priority. Separation process is the significant technology to produce the fuel grade ethanol in terms of both operating and capital costs. In the present work an alternative distillation sequence for the bioethanol separation is presented. The steady state performance and the dynamic beavior are analyzed compared to the classical configuration reported in the literature.

Research paper thumbnail of A combined method for the design and optimization of intensified distillation systems

Chemical Engineering and Processing: Process Intensification, 2014

The sequential design method (SDM) is a recently introduced distillation column design method bas... more The sequential design method (SDM) is a recently introduced distillation column design method based on the correspondence between the simple column and the alternative sequences design parameters. It can be defined as a method that combines the alternatives generation step with the design procedure. The Multi-Objective Differential Evolution (MODE) algorithm instead, is based on the minimization or maximization of a defined objective function; it is a strong method that allows the evaluation of a large number of alternatives.

Research paper thumbnail of Optimization of Alternative Distillation Sequences for Natural Gas Sweetening

Computer Aided Chemical Engineering, 2014

The separation of CO 2 and/or H 2 S from the natural gas processing is focused on preventing some... more The separation of CO 2 and/or H 2 S from the natural gas processing is focused on preventing some undesired effects, as decreasing the heat capacity in the natural gas, and so on. Moreover, the carbon dioxide removal has an extensive interest in other application fields, like mitigating CO 2 emissions, being an entrainer in EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery), among others. One novelty alternative to deal with CO 2 separation consists in the use of cryogenic extractive distillation by utilizing as entrainer the liquid hydrocarbon fraction obtained in the process. This process has some advantages, such as that the entrainer is CO 2 selective, noncorrosive, and waterless by-product, effective for high CO 2 concentration feedstock. In this work, the Aspen Plus One 7.0 process simulator was used to model the CO 2 -ethane azeotrope for different extractive distillation sequences and distinct entrainers, considering a rate based model. The study included the formal design and optimization (minimizing the Total Annual Cost (TAC) and maximizing the acid gas removal) to finally compare the alternative configurations with the conventional chemical absorption system used in the industrial field. Complementary studies regarding the controllability, thermodynamic efficiency and greenhouse gases generation were conducted. The proposed cryogenic extractive distillation sequences showed, in terms of costs and CO 2 emissions, better performance than the conventional chemical absorption configuration. Even more, the extractive thermally coupled distillation structures reached the best energy savings with appropriate dynamic behavior, making these alternatives competitive and environmentally friendly.

Research paper thumbnail of The importance of the sequential synthesis methodology in the optimal distillation sequences design

Computers & Chemical Engineering, 2014

ABSTRACT The sequential design method is presented as a complementary tool of the systematical sy... more ABSTRACT The sequential design method is presented as a complementary tool of the systematical synthesis procedure that allows to define a clear connection among the different types of distillation column sequences. In particular, the connection with the simple column subspace is considered, since this subspace represents the comparison reference for all the alternatives considered. The sequential design procedure, based on the correspondence between the functionality of the column's section among the simple columns and the derived sequences, is compared with a mathematical based optimization algorithm. The separations of a four-component near ideal mixture and the azeotropic ethanol–water mixture are considered as case studies and the designs obtained applying both methods have been compared. The results confirmed that the sequential design method is a fast and reliable tool in the optimal design of the column sequence.

Research paper thumbnail of Design and optimization of thermally coupled distillation schemes for the trichlorosilane purification process

Applied Thermal Engineering, 2013

An important problem in the bioethanol production process is the purification of ethanol from a d... more An important problem in the bioethanol production process is the purification of ethanol from a dilute solution, i.e., approximately 10% ethanol in water. The key factor in the purification process is the formation of the ethanol-water binary homogeneous azeotrope, and an additional process is required to obtain high purity ethanol that can be used in motor vehicles. This study examines the design and optimization of three extractive distillation options (two with thermal coupling) for the purification of a representative mixture of ethanol and water. These extractive arrangements can produce ethanol as distillate with the required purity and energy savings, reduction in CO 2 emissions, high thermodynamic efficiencies and good control properties.

Research paper thumbnail of Design, Optimization and Controllability of an Alternative Process Based on Extractive Distillation for an ethane-carbon dioxide mixture

Chemical Engineering and Processing

Alternative configurations based on cryogenic extractive distillation for the natural gas sweeten... more Alternative configurations based on cryogenic extractive distillation for the natural gas sweetening process were proposed and simulated by using Aspen Plus One 7.0 coupled to a multi-objective stochastic optimization procedure (Differential Evolution, DE). The evaluation of the performances of the proposed configurations was focused on the carbon dioxide-ethane azeotrope separation considering different liquefied hydrocarbon fractions as entrainers. The design alternatives were compared to the conventional chemical absorption system. The proposed sequences were simultaneously optimized by minimizing the Total Annual Cost (TAC) and maximizing the acid gas removal. Complementary studies regarding the theoretical control properties, thermodynamic efficiency and greenhouse gases generation for several representative operating conditions obtained from the Pareto fronts were conducted. The proposed cryogenic extractive distillation sequences realized the higher carbon dioxide removal tog...