Uso da ferramenta Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) para o projeto de tanques flash e colunas de destilação binária

Abstract

Distillation is an essential unit operation in chemical engineering used to separate components of a mixture based on their volatility differences, widely applied in processes such as fermentation, desalination, and the fuel industry. The process can be carried out using flash drums, which operate with a single equilibrium stage, and distillation columns, which involve multiple stages. The McCabe-Thiele method is frequently used to design binary distillation columns, helping to determine the number of stages necessary for efficient separation. However, manually designing and resolving these graphical methods is complex and time consuming, and using commercial software for this purpose can be costly. This work proposes the use of Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) in the Microsoft Excel environment to develop a program that assists in the design of flash drums and binary distillation columns using the McCabe-Thiele method. The tool allows users to input initial data and automatically obtain results, facilitating the analysis and design of these separation systems. The developed program offers a practical, accessible, and interactive solution, enabling users to simulate different scenarios and explore the effects of operational parameters like the reflux ratio. The tool demonstrated good performance, providing reliable results validated through comparison with reference data from the literature and simulator websites, confirming its accuracy. Additionally, the implementation of the program in VBA allowed for the exploration of distillation system behaviors, such as the effect of no reflux on flash drums and the higher efficiency of distillation columns in obtaining purer products. The developed solution provides dynamic and in-depth learning, facilitating the understanding of the phenomena involved in distillation and serving as a cost-effective and efficient alternative for chemical engineering students and professionals. Using VBA for this purpose represents a valuable tool for optimizing the teaching and practice of separation processes, enabling the quick and accurate simulation of different operational conditions.