Orbital Unlocks 25% Efficiency Improvements in Simulated Distillation Process
Alkylation of 1-butene
DWSIM simulation
28 Aug 2024
Energy consumption reduction
Annual cost savings
Annual CO₂ emissions avoided (tonnes)
The alkylation of 1-butene to produce octane and dodecane is a common refining process in the petrochemical industry. This study aims to:
Optimise the process using the Orbital foundation model within the DWSIM simulator, comparing its performance against best-in-class alternatives, including Linear Programming and Ensemble methods.
Leverage Orbital’s recommendation engine to optimise for reduced total input energy while maintaining consistent product quality specifications.
N-Octane (C8H18) and N-Dodecane (C12H26) are critical hydrocarbons in the petrochemical industry, used extensively in petrol production and as solvents. The alkylation of 1-butene is a key step in producing these compounds, which typically requires significant energy input to sustain the necessary reaction conditions. Optimising this process for energy efficiency is vital to enhancing overall operational sustainability.