Shortcut methods for the approximate solution of multi-component distillation
problems continue to be useful, even though digital computers are
available to provide rigorous results. The reasons are, that either the data
may not be sufficiently accurate to justify an exhaustive analysis or in preliminary design studies, a large number of alternatives can be examined to
locate optimum conditions. Then the exact solution can be obtained through
computers for the detailed design.
In this paper most useful shortcut methods have been studied and discussed.
Finally an approximate way of estimating the optimum operating conditions
is presented.
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