Dynamic Safety Analysis of Intensified Extractive Distillation Processes with Independent Protection Layers

The significance of addressing chemical process safety and loss prevention during the initial stages of process design is increasingly recognized by chemical engineers. Even with limited design information, process simulation tools are proving to be useful in assessing risks. This chapter introduces a methodology for conducting scenario-based dynamic safety analysis of intensified processes. The analysis incorporates dynamic simulation and considers the effectiveness of process controls and other independent protection measures. A case study of intensified extractive distillation (ED) processes is presented, with a specific emphasis on mitigating column overpressure, which stands as the primary safety concern. The steady-state process design is carried out using Aspen Plus, while Aspen Dynamics facilitates dynamic control simulation and enables scenario-based dynamic safety analysis. Through simulation, the effectiveness of multiple layers of protection, including basic process controls, alarms, safety instrumented systems (SISs), and pressure relief systems, is evaluated in handling potential hazards arising from various scenarios.