Abstract
In this paper conceptual designs for the esterification of myristic acid with isopropanol through reactive distillation (packed and tray column) and bubble column are constructed, which are evaluated against the batch process based on required reaction volumes. The required reactor volume can be decreased with 27 or 79 %, allowing a maximum temperature of respectively 170 and 220°C, using a packed reactive distillation column. Using a tray reactive distillation column and a maximum temperature of 220°C, the required reactor volume can be decreased with 93 %. Due to the less favourable mass transfer characteristics of the bubble column, in here the required reactor volume can only be decreased with 78%. When a temperature of 220°C is allowed in the column, the tray reactive distillation is the preferable process for the esterification of myristic acid isopropanol, based on the required reaction volumes. The influence of the maximum column temperature and the influence of a larger liquid hold-up per stage as a result of a different column configuration are of equal importance for the required reaction volume.
| Original language | English |
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| Title of host publication | Proceedings of Distillation Absorption 2010 (DA2010), september 12-15 2010, Eindhoven, The Netherlands |
| Editors | A.B. Haan, de, H. Kooijman, A. Górak |
| Place of Publication | Eindhoven, The Netherlands |
| Publisher | DA2010 |
| Pages | 301-306 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-90-386-2215-6 |
| Publication status | Published - 2010 |