Optimal design and control of Eastman organic wastewater treatment process

This paper developed one “waste control by waste” scheme to treat this wastewater by simulation and experiment approaches. First, several possible schemes are simulated and evaluated with Aspen Plus software. An extraction scheme using a self-synthesized ester (2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol di-isobutyrate, TXIB) as extractant is selected since it can avoid the solvent recovery problem. Second, extraction equilibrium and reaction kinetics of TXIB are investigated through experiments with several key parameters estimated for simulation purposes. Finally, the importance of each variable in the wastewater treatment process is evaluated based on complex network theory. A plantwide control structure is developed based on selected key variables, which effectiveness in the face of large disturbances is demonstrated by dynamic simulation.109