ChemSep LITE — The Complete Guide: Distillation, Absorption and Extraction Columns in the Free Edition
ChemSep LITE is the free edition of ChemSep, a separation column program developed by Harry Kooijman and Ross Taylor. It covers distillation, absorption, liquid-liquid extraction and azeotropic distillation, with a component database and thermodynamic models.
ChemSep LITE
ChemSep / Harry Kooijman & Ross Taylor
Distillation, absorption and extraction column design — the free edition is limited in problem size.
Get it from the vendorWhat you get
- Distillation — multicomponent columns with condenser and reboiler.
- Absorption and extraction — including liquid-liquid extraction.
- Component database — with ready thermodynamic models.
- Profiles — temperature, composition and flows along the column.
- COCO integration — as a unit operation inside a flowsheet.
What the free edition limits
LITE is free for everyone, but limited. According to the official documentation it handles up to 40 components and 300 stages, and includes only the classic equilibrium-stage model. The rate-based (non-equilibrium) model, which better describes real trays and packing, is reserved for the paid full edition. For a course or an order-of-magnitude check that is enough; for detailed design of an industrial column it is a real boundary.
Related tools
The environment it plugs into — COCO. An open process simulator — DWSIM. For fluid properties — CoolProp.
COCO Simulator
AmsterCHEM
A free CAPE-OPEN process simulator that works together with ChemSep.
Get it from the vendor
DWSIM
DWSIM Project
Steady-state and dynamic process simulation for chemical plants.
Get it from the vendor
CoolProp
CoolProp Project
Thermophysical property data for over a hundred fluids, callable from any language.
Get it from the vendorThe bottom line
ChemSep LITE is a free way to learn and check separation columns — as long as you remember the advanced model is kept for the full edition.