Contributions to theoretical developments and practical exploitation of mass transfer principles in separation technologies

Date
2023-12
Journal Title
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Our standard of living and quality of life rely on producing consumer products from chemicals. These chemicals typically have to be purified, and distillation, extraction and absorption are the primary technologies for affecting these separations. Such technologies are energy intensive, and further development and optimization can reduce their impact on greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, reduction in the capital consumed by these processes can significantly improve value creation. My contributions to these fields over the past 36 years are covered in detail in this dissertation under the sections highlighted below. It is conservatively estimated that these contributions generated more than two billion dollars of value for the companies who commercialized and use these technologies. In the process of making contributions to this field, I have been blessed to collaborate with brilliant people and their contributions to my endeavors are gratefully acknowledged. Improved separation processes My research into separation processes with reduced energy and capital consumption was focused on solvent-driven separations. Computer Aided Molecular Design (CAMD) methodologies for solventdriven separation processes were developed and, from this, improved extractive distillation, azeotropic distillation and liquid extraction processes were conceived. The energy and capital consumption of these processes were significantly lower than that of competing technologies, which also translates into lower greenhouse gas emissions. These processes were commercialized and create significant value for the chemical producers and the companies who produce consumer products. Improved separation tower internals My research into separation tower internals was focused on creating novel equipment that had higher separation efficiency and higher hydraulic capacity than the best equipment available at the time. The novel INTALOX® ULTRATM random packing exhibited higher efficiency and capacity than other random packing. This allowed chemical companies and refiners to debottleneck towers for capacity and/or separation efficiency. This reduced energy consumption and corresponding greenhouse gas emissions. The size of new towers could also be reduced. The PROFLUX® severe service packing allowed refiners to increase capacity, increase run lengths and increase the product yield in vacuum towers. I developed several tray configurations that improved the capacity and/or efficiency of separation towers. Other developments included improved liquid distributors and droplet separators. These new, improved separation tower products generated significant value for both the companies that commercialized it and the end-users who installed it in their separation towers. Separation technology education Although the separation processes and separation tower internals discussed in this dissertation generated significant revenue for the companies who commercialized and used these technologies, the lasting value lies in the underlying methodologies and knowledge that were developed. It is important that this knowledge be passed on to the next generation of engineers. To this end, I have developed university courses, the Koch-Glitsch Mass Transfer School and the FRI Distillation Academy. Under my guidance 14 Masters and 7 PhD students graduated in the field of separation technology. Almost 1000 students attended these courses and many commented that they have received unique knowledge that equipped them for the future. The details of my non-confidential contributions to the field of separation technology have been summarized in 410 patents (46 patent families), 48 papers and 80 conference contributions. At the 2022 Spring Meeting the Separations Division of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) gave special recognition to my “many outstanding achievements in distillation, extraction, 5 absorption, and troubleshooting” by dedicating an honors session to celebrate my “lifetime of contributions as an engineer, educator, inventor, and R&D leader in separations technology and engineering”.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ons lewensstandaard en kwaliteit van lewe rus in ‘n groot mate op produkte wat uit chemikalieë vervaardig word. Hierdie chemikalieë moet gesuiwer word, en distillasie, ekstraksie en absorpsie is die mees algemene tegnologieë wat vir die suiwerings aangewend word. Hierdie tegnologieë het hoë energieverbruik en enige positiewe verandering kan die koste verlaag, en dit sal ook help om die vrystelling van kweekhuisgasse te verlaag. ‘n Verlaging in die kapitaalkoste van hierdie prosesse kan ook help om beduidend meer welvaart te genereer. Hierdie proefskrif dek die navorsing en ontwikkeling wat ek oor die afgelope 36 jaar gedoen het in die skeidingstegnologie veld en word opgesom in afdelings soos hier onder genoem. Konserwatief geskat het hierdie onwikkelings ongeveer $ 2000 miljoen aan waarde gegenereer. In die proses van ontwikkeling en kommersialisering van hierdie tegnologieë was ek geseënd om saam met briljante navorsers te werk en hulle bydraes word met dank erken. Verbeterde skeidingsprosesse My skeidingstegnologie navorsing op die gebied van verlaging van energieverbruik en kapitaalkoste was gefokus op oplosmiddel-gedrewe skeidingsprosesse. Rekenaar Gesteunde Molekulêre Ontwerp (CAMD) algoritmes is ontwikkel en is gebruik om verbeterde ekstraktiewe distillasie, aseotrope distillasie en vloeistof ekstraksie prosesse te ontwikkel. Die energieverbruik en kapitaalkoste van hierdie nuwe prosesse was beduidend laer as dié van kompeterende tegnologieë. Die laer energieverbruik beteken ook laer vrystelling van kweekhuisgasse. Hierdie prosesse is gekommersialiseer en het beduidende waarde geskep vir die maatskappye wat die tegnologie aangewend het, sowel as vir die maatskappye wat produkte uit die chemikalieë vervaardig het. Verbeterde massa-oordrag toerusting vir skeidingskolomme My navorsing op die gebied van massa-oordrag toerusting was gefokus op die ontwikkeling van nuwe toerusting met hoër skeidingseffektiwiteit en hoër hidroliese kapasiteit as die toerusting wat op daardie stadium op die mark was. Die INTALOX® ULTRATM ongeordende pakking het hoër kapasiteit en skeidingseffektiwiteit as enige ander ongeordende pakking. Dit het chemiese maatskappye en raffinaderye in staat gestel om kolomme te ontknel deur die kapasiteit en/of die skeidingseffektiwiteit te verbeter. Dit het die energieverbruik verlaag, wat ook ʼn positiewe invloed of die kweekhuisgasvrystelling gehad het. Verder het dit ook die moontlikheid geskep om nuwe kolomme kleiner te maak. Die PROFLUX® swaar diens pakking het raffinaderye in staat gestel om hul kapasiteit te verhoog, die tyd tussen afsluitings te maksimeer en die herwinning van produkte uit vakuumkolomme te maksimeer. Ek het ook verskeie plaat-produkte ontwikkel wat die skeidingseffektiwiteit en kapasiteit van kolomme verbeter het. Verder het ek, onder andere, ook verbeterde vloeistofverspreiders en druppel verwyderingstoerusting ontwikkel. Hierdie nuwe, verbeterde produkte het beduidende waarde geskep vir beide die maakskappye wat dit gekommersialiseer het en die verbruikers wat dit in hulle kolomme geïnstalleer het. Skeidingstegnologie opleiding Alhoewel die skeidingsprosesse en massa-oordragstoerusting soos bespreek in hierdie verhandeling beduidende waarde vir die maatskappye wat dit gekommersialiseer en gebruik het geskep het, is die langtermyn waarde die onderliggende tegnologieë en die kennis wat ontwikkel is. Dit is baie belangrik dat hierdie kennis aan die volgende geslag van ingenieurs oorgedra word. Om die oogmerk te bereik het ek universiteitskursusse, die Koch-Glitsch Mass Transfer School en die FRI Distillation Academy ontwikkel. 14 Meesters en 7 Doktorale studente het onder my leiding gegradueer. Amper 1000 studente het hierdie kursusse bygewoon en verskeie het in terugvoering aangedui dat hulle unieke kennis ontvang het wat baie vir hulle sal beteken in die toekoms. 7 Die besonderhede van my nie-vertroulike bydraes tot die skeidingstegnologie veld is opgesom in 410 patente (in 46 patent families), 48 joernaal publikasies end 80 konferensie bydraes. In 2022 het die Skeidingstegnologie Afdeling (Separations Division) van die Amerkaanse Instituut van Chemiese Ingenieurs (AIChE) spesiale erkenning gegee vir my “many outstanding achievements in distillation, extraction, absorption, and troubleshooting” deur ’n ere-sessie te hou om my “lifetime of contributions as an engineer, educator, inventor, and R&D leader in separations technology and engineering” te huldig.
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Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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