Design of hybrid distillation/melt crystallisation processes for separation of close boiling mixtures

► A systematic four-step method for the design hybrid separations is proposed. ► Model-based process analysis for identification of potential promising options. ► Melt crystallisation experiments to determine model parameters were performed. ► Multi-objective optimisation of the hybrid process using evolutionary algorithms. ► Applicability is illustrated for the separation of long-chain isomeric aldehydes.