Dual DWC Prime
Four or more high-purity products from a single shell — installed from concept to commissioning by DWC Innovations.
What is Dual DWC Prime
Dual DWC Prime extends process intensification a step beyond a single-wall dividing wall column. Instead of merging two columns into one shell, it merges three or more conventional columns into a single shell, delivering four or more high-purity products at even higher thermodynamic efficiency. From the outside it looks like an ordinary DWC; inside, multiple partitions keep the liquid and vapor splits simple to build, control and operate.
- Combines three or more conventional distillation columns into a single shell.
- Produces four or more high-purity product streams from that one shell.
- Delivers higher thermodynamic efficiency than a single-wall DWC.
- Multiple walls keep the liquid and vapor splits simple to control.
- Robust, flexible and easy to operate despite the added separation.
- Lower footprint, reduced capital cost and shorter turnaround.
Where Dual DWC Prime applies
Used primarily in large columns across isomerization, aromatics and lube-oil processing. These are the project patterns DWC Innovations has executed in the field.
3-cut DIH → 4-cut Dual DWC Prime
Unlock high-value C6 products from an existing isomerization unit — boosting feed capacity, preserving RON, cutting energy use, with a fast 2–10 month payback.
Three columns into one shell
A Dual DWC Prime column produces four lubricating-oil grades in a single shell — improving recovery, cutting energy, and eliminating three separate columns.
Higher-purity naphtha products
Sharper three-cut separation and higher-purity naphtha — the cuts required to debottleneck the downstream CCR and ISOM units, with no increase in reboiler duty.
Commissioned around the world
Dual DWC Prime is proven in commercial operation at leading Indian refineries.
DAS Splitter Dual DWC — BPCL, Mumbai
The world’s first commercial application of a multiple-wall dividing wall column. Part of BPCL’s Lube Oil Base Stock (LOBS) revamp, it produces five lubricant grades in one integrated column.
Four-cut Dual DWC — CPCL, Manali
At CPCL’s Manali refinery the deisohexanizer was converted into a four-cut Dual DWC producing a new Pharma / Food Grade Hexane product — lifting throughput with no impact to RON.
From concept to commissioning
The CDU-2 naphtha splitter at MRPL was converted into a Dual DWC Prime column to deliver the sharper naphtha cuts needed to debottleneck the downstream CCR and ISOM units — with no new columns and no change in reboiler duty. Delivered turnkey by DWC Innovations, from first concept to a performance-tested column.
Feasibility & process design
Critical evaluation of the duty, then a complete, optimized process design.
Robust control scheme
A stable control strategy derived from dynamic simulation.
Basic & detailed engineering
Full engineering of the unit, from process package to piping.
Proprietary internals
Dividing walls, liquid splitters and vapor distributors supplied & installed.
Column & piping modification
Existing shell reused with minimal change and no added reboiler duty.
Commissioning & test
On-site supervision; Performance Guarantee Test passed April 2026.
We didn’t stop at individual DWCs
Having proven Dual DWC Prime column by column, DWC Innovations went further — commissioning a whole network of dividing wall columns. At an Indian chemical complex, four DWC Prime columns now do the work of a conventional train of seven — the world’s first multi-column DWC network.
Bring Dual DWC Prime into your process
Talk to our engineers about applying dual dividing wall column technology — or take the full brochure with you.
Download the brochure (PDF)