Optimal Structure of Reactive and Non-reactive Stages in Reactive Distillation Processes

DOMANCICH A.O.; BRIGNOLE N.B.; HOCH P.M.

Italia, Napoles

Congreso; PRES ´07; 2007

We present a model for a reactive column, based on models by Almeida-Rivera (2005), shown in detail in Domancich et al (2006). It consists of pure separation stages combined with a reactive distillation sector, where both the reaction and the separation processes take place at the same time. A rigorous modeling of the column, with an equilibrium model for the reactive sector were employed. An example that shows the performance of a reactive distillation unit used for the MTBE production is presented. The economic optimization of the reactive distillation process is performed applying a MINLP algorithm and the cost of the resulting scheme is compared to the cost of the conventional process, considering that the reaction and the separation processes take place in different equipment.