Modeling of a reactive separation process using a nonequilibrium stage model

Abstract

A nonequilibrium model for simulation of homogeneous reactive distillation has been developed. Mass transfer accompanied by simultaneous chemical reaction is described by the Maxwell Stefan equations. Calculations were done for the process to produce ethyl acetate that has been treated extensively in literature. It was found that reactions could, under certain conditions, have a significant impact on component effeciencies, thus emphasizing the need for rate-based models for reactive distillation. By means of parametric sensitivity studies it is shown that the effects of operational and design parameters on column behavior can be very complicated.