Distillation is a cornerstone of chemical engineering, yet today’s engineers face new demands around efficiency, sustainability, and digital tools. Daniel R. Summers, Director of AIChE’s Separations Division and Distillation Consultant for Fractionation Research Inc., is helping bridge that gap with his newly updated course, Modern Distillation Techniques: From Thermodynamics to Practical Solutions.
We spoke with Daniel about why mastering both thermodynamics and hardware is critical, how the course prepares engineers to make smarter design and troubleshooting decisions, and what participants can expect from this hands-on, fundamentals-driven training.
Why is a deep understanding of both thermodynamics and practical hardware essential for engineers working with distillation systems today, and how does this course bridge that gap?
Modeling the thermodynamics and VLE of a distillation system is key to understanding what you can achieve during optimization. The course provides hands-on experience in modeling distillation systems and using those models to design and optimize distillation units. Most importantly, we emphasize helping engineers understand both the accuracy and limitations of their thermodynamic models.
With distillation remaining one of the most energy-intensive operations in the chemical industry, how does this course help engineers make more efficient and reliable design or troubleshooting decisions?
The engineer is exposed to energy reduction techniques such as optimized feed points, proximity to minimum reflux, heat integration, heat pump design (vapor recompression), dividing wall towers and more—all aimed at facilitating greener distillation system design.
What makes this course particularly important for today’s engineers, especially in an industry facing rapid changes in sustainability, digital tools, and operational demands?
The course focuses on distillation fundamentals. Even with digitization, AI, and big data, engineers still need to understand why a control scheme doesn’t work, or that there’s a minimum reflux requirement for a given product slate, regardless of tower height.
What specific skills or knowledge will participants gain from this course that they can immediately apply in their day-to-day work with distillation systems?
The immediate benefits of this course are: a) you'll gain a clear understanding of your tower's operational range, b) you'll be able to design packed or trayed towers, based on hands-on experience from the course, c) you'll know exactly what to look for when troubleshooting or inspecting a distillation tower, and d) you'll develop an appreciation for what you can safely look for inside a distillation tower.
How does the course equip engineers to better troubleshoot and optimize existing distillation columns, especially in older plants where design limitations may exist?
The course includes a dedicated presentation on performing detailed tower operational investigations (performance evaluations). It also covers tower revamp optimization — a particularly relevant topic given how few new plants are being built today. While troubleshooting is touched on, it's a more advanced topic that falls outside this course's scope.
What sets this course apart from other distillation training in terms of practical value, real-world applicability, or depth of technical coverage?
This course is designed for beginners and serves as a foundation before taking more advanced courses. It emphasizes thermodynamic fundamentals and the practical aspects of hardware design.
Daniel Summers
Daniel Summers is the Director of AIChE’s Separations Division and Distillation Consultant for Fractionation Research Inc. Learn more.
