Theoretical study on transesterification in a combined process consisting of a reactive distillation column and a pervaporation unit
-
Zuzana Švandová
and
Jozef Markoš
Abstract
Steady state analysis of a combined hybrid process consisting of a reactive distillation column, pervaporation unit, and a distillation column is presented. This process configuration was first presented by Steinigeweg and Gmehling (2004) for the transesterification of methyl acetate and butanol to butyl acetate and methanol. This system is characteristic for its low reaction rate and complex phase equilibrium. Steinigeweg and Gmehling (2004) have shown that the combination of reactive distillation and pervaporation is favourable since conversions close to 100 % can be reached with a reasonable size of the reactive section in the reactive distillation column. The aim of this paper is to show that although high conversion can be achieved, very complicated steady state behaviour must be expected. The presented analysis is based on mathematical modelling of a process unit, where the steady-state analysis, including continuation and bifurcation analyses, was used. Multiple steady states were predicted for the studied system; three steady states with conversions higher than 98 %. However, not all predicted steady states met the maximal allowed temperature condition in the reactive section (catalyst maximal operation temperature of 393 K). The presence of multiple steady states reduces the operability and controllability of the reactive distillation column during its start-up and during the occurrence of any variation of operating parameters because the system can be shifted from one steady state to another one (concurrent exceeding the maximal allowed temperature) with unwanted consequences, e.g. production loss. Therefore, design and subsequent operation of such a complicated system is an ambitious task requiring knowledge of any possible system behaviour.
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© 2011 Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences
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Articles in the same Issue
- Mechanisms controlling lipid accumulation and polyunsaturated fatty acid synthesis in oleaginous fungi
- Predicting retention indices of aliphatic hydrocarbons on stationary phases modified with metallocyclams using quantitative structure-retention relationships
- New SPME fibre for analysis of mequinol emitted from DVDs
- Continuous production of citric acid from raw glycerol by Yarrowia lipolytica in cell recycle cultivation
- Enhancing the production of gamma-linolenic acid in Hansenula polymorpha by fed-batch fermentation using response surface methodology
- Process characteristics for a gas—liquid system agitated in a vessel equipped with a turbine impeller and tubular baffles
- Kinetic study of pyrolysis of waste water treatment plant sludge
- Transport phenomena in an agitated vessel with an eccentrically located impeller
- Membrane extraction of 1-phenylethanol from fermentation solution
- Theoretical study on transesterification in a combined process consisting of a reactive distillation column and a pervaporation unit
- Wall effects on terminal falling velocity of spherical particles moving in a Carreau model fluid
- The effect of the physical properties of the liquid phase on the gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient in two- and three-phase agitated systems
- Effectiveness of nitric oxide ozonation
- Modelling of nanocrystalline iron nitriding process — influence of specific surface area
- Effect of CeO2 and Sb2O3 on the phase transformation and optical properties of photostable titanium dioxide
- Carnauba wax microparticles produced by melt dispersion technique
- Complexation studies of 3-substituted β-diketones with selected d- and f-metal ions
- Influence of the solvent donor number on the O/W partition ratio of Cu(II) complexes of 1,2-dialkylimidazoles
- Continuous dialysis of sulphuric acid in the presence of zinc sulphate
- Differences in affinity of arylstilbazolium derivatives to tetraplex structures
- Fast ferritin immunoassay on PDMS microchips
