Performance analysis of reactive distillation columns: adjustment of reactive and non-reactive stages

DOMANCICH ALEJANDRO O.; OLIVERA ANA C.; BRIGNOLE NELIDA B.; HOCH, PATRICIA M.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Congreso; XXII Congreso Interamericano de Ingeniería Química y V Congreso Argentino de Ingeniería Química; 2006

Asociacion Argentina de Ingenieria Quimica

We present a model for a reactive column, based on models by Taylor and Krishna (2000) and Almeida-Rivera (2005) that consist in pure separation stages combined with a reactive distillation sector, where both reaction and separation take place at the same time. An analysis is performed in order to show the impact on the global reactive separation system by adding or subtracting either non-reactive or reactive separation stages, keeping the number of total stages constant. For this study, we used a rigorous modeling of the column, with an equilibrium model for the reactive sector. An example about the study on the performance of a well-known reactive distillation unit is presented. In particular, it is related to the production of Methyl-tert-butyl ether.