Optimal design and control of an energy-efficient triple-side-stream quaternary extractive distillation process

•Efficient triple-side-stream quaternary extractive distillation is developed.•A computing-efficient simulated annealing optimization strategy is used.•The best one among side-stream flow control schemes is identified.•Side-stream flows dynamic responses to feed disturbances are examined. Dynamic control of extractive distillation process with multiple liquid side-streams is challenging although it has an energy-saving potential. In this work, the optimal design and control of a high-efficient triple-side-stream quaternary extractive distillation process (TSQED) is presented for separating acetone/methanol/butanone/tert‑butanol. All operating parameters are optimized by a simulated annealing based systematic method, resulting in the reduction of total annual costs by 9.37%, energy consumption by 18.76%, and CO2 emissions by 33.17% as compared with conventional extractive distillation process. Subsequently, three control structures (CS1, CS2, and CS3) are proposed and demonstrated according to different side-stream flowrate control strategy. In the CS1, the side-stream flowrate is proportional to feed flow. In the CS2, the side-stream flowrate is proportional to reboiler vapor flow. In the CS3, and temperature-sensitive plate in distillation column is identified and cascaded by side-stream flowrate. By contrast, CS3 is far better than CS1 and CS2 in terms of dynamic responses and integral performance criteria. This attributes to the virtuous effect of the inferential temperature control on side-stream flowrate in the whole process control of TSQED. Finally, the feedforward control of QR/F is added in the CS4 to further improve the effectiveness of CS3. [Display omitted]