Design and multiple performance evaluation of green energy saving process for ethyl acetate/ethanol/water azeotrope separation by extractive distillation based on mixed solvent

The clean and efficient separation of ethyl acetate/ethanol/water azeotrope is of great significance for the production of high-purity ethyl acetate. In this study, a highly efficient separation of ethyl acetate/ethanol/water azeotrope by extractive distillation based on mixed solvent was developed. The relative volatility and quantum chemistry calculation were used to determine the alternative entrainer of mixed solvent. The multi-objective optimization based on genetic algorithm was carried out to obtain the optimal process scheme which considered both economy and environment. Three energy-saving process schemes were developed based on the conventional extractive distillation process, and the economic, environmental, energy and exergy properties of each process were investigated. The results show that the heat pump-assisted extractive distillation process may yield a significant reduction in gas emission and process energy consumption, showing an obvious advantage over the conventional extractive distillation process and the process proposed by previous researchers. The results of this study have important significance for the separation of high purity ethyl acetate and the recovery of wastewater containing ethyl acetate and ethanol. The research approach can be applied to further systems and serve as a reference for the creation of extractive distillation with mixed solvent.