抄録
The design of an extraction process is complicated. The key decision here is the selection of extractive solvent, however, is not stand alone. The distillation sequence, which normally follows the extraction unit for solvent recovery and product purification, is entirely influenced by the agent chosen. In many cases, mass throughput of solvents in the extraction unit can be large in order to increase separation performance. This character could raise various concerns in monetary and non-monetary issues such as safety, environment and social aspects. In this work, we propose a structural framework, which facilitates chemical engineers to design extraction processes under sustainable criteria. An activity modeling method, the type-zero method of Integrated DEFinition (IDEF0), is applied for presenting the inter-connected design activities transparently, and for incorporating various sustainability criteria systematically into design. Within the framework, extractive agents and succeeding recovery/purification processes are considered concurrently, which enables rational choices in the entire process. The framework is demonstrated through a case study, where extraction solvents and following separation systems are evaluated under selected sustainability criteria.
