Enhanced distillation and novel processes are the future that will keep tour mature distillation technology vibrant, and is an excellent finishing topic for our 6-session Distillation 2009 Topical Conference. The literature is short of practical design guidelines for extractive distillation and these will be discussed. Optimal synthesis of heterogeneous azeotropic and of multicomponent distillation, and understanding the diffusion processes in distillation have been challenges that will be addressed this session. Last but not least, two exciting new technologies from PR China, an externally heat integrated distillation column (EHIDiC), which is similar in principle to the HIDiC, but can potentially save capital as well as energy, and the rotating zigzag beds centrifugal distillation, which evolved from the HIGEE principle for process intensification, will provide us with a view to the exciting future of distillation technology.

Topical 8: Distillation Topical