Dividing wall column (DWC) was used to separate the system (1,2-propylene glycol + 1,3-butanediol + 1,4-butanediol). No research in a DWC has focused on such systems which were difficult to be separated for their great similarity in both molecular structures and properties. The rigorous steady-state and dynamic simulations, as well as the optimization of DWC alternative were performed with Aspen Plus and Aspen dynamics. Sequential quadratic programming (SQP) optimization method and the efficient sensitivity analysis tool were used to minimize the total reboiler and condenser duties. Moreover, a flow rate-composition cascade control structure was first developed to maintain targeted product purity under various external disturbances as feed flow rate and side product composition changed. DWC was compared with both a side rectifier configuration and conventional two-column distillation sequence in energy requirements and total annual costs (TACs) with the same number of stages. It showed that the energy requirements and TAC by DWC were reduced 47.60 % and 35.40 % respectively, compared with conventional distillation sequence, energy savings of 48.00 % and 34.11 % lower TAC compared with side rectifier configuration. This study provided a potential solution for the distillation of the systems with similar molecular structures and properties in a DWC.

使用分隔壁塔（DWC）分离系统（1,2-丙二醇+ 1,3-丁二醇+ 1,4-丁二醇）。在DWC中，没有研究集中在这类系统上，因为它们在分子结构和性质上都非常相似，因此很难分离。使用Aspen Plus和Aspen动力学进行了严格的稳态和动态仿真，以及DWC替代方案的优化。顺序二次规划（SQP）优化方法和有效的灵敏度分析工具用于最小化再沸器和冷凝器的总负荷。此外，首先开发了一种流量组成级联控制结构，以在进料流量和副产物组成发生变化的各种外部干扰下保持目标产物的纯度。在具有相同阶段数的情况下，将DWC与侧整流器配置和常规两塔蒸馏顺序进行了能源需求和年度总成本（TAC）的比较。结果表明，与传统的蒸馏程序相比，DWC的能量需求和TAC分别降低了47.60％和35.40％，与侧馏塔配置相比，TAC的能耗降低了48.00％和34.11％。该研究为DWC中具有相似分子结构和性质的体系的蒸馏提供了一种潜在的解决方案。与侧整流器配置相比，TAC节省了48.00％的能源，而TAC降低了34.11％。这项研究为DWC中具有相似分子结构和性质的体系的蒸馏提供了潜在的解决方案。与侧整流器配置相比，TAC节省了48.00％的能源，而TAC降低了34.11％。该研究为DWC中具有相似分子结构和性质的体系的蒸馏提供了一种潜在的解决方案。