Selection and Sequencing of Separations

Abstract

Selection criteria are reviewed for choosing the most promising methods of separation for accomplishing a given separation of chemical components. The degree of separation attainable is governed by the separation factor, which in turn is related to molecular or ionic properties. Various separation processes are contrasted with regard to general desirablilty of using them, both on an industrial scale and on a laboratory scale. Heuristic rules for synthesizing sequences of separations to create multiple products are also considered. Criteria which have proven useful for generating separation sequences on an industrial processing scale are contrasted with those which may be useful for choosing sequences of separation steps in the laboratory.