Abstract
The esterification of acetic acid with ethanol has been investigated in the presence of a low cost ion exchange resin mainly used in the water treatment industry namely Trilite SCR-B as a heterogeneous catalyst. Internal mass transfer limitations have proven to be negligible using analysis based on Thieles modulus. The results of the experimental runs done by varying stirrer speeds of the reactor showed the absence of external mass transfer limitations. The kinetic experimental results were correlated with the heterogeneous kinetic models Langmuir-Hinshelwood (LH), Eley-Rideal (ER) and pseudo homogeneous kinetic model. The LH model was found to be correlating the experimental results better than the other two models. Reaction and adsorption constants were further evaluated within the temperature range between 335K and 355K, with 1:1 ethanol to acetic moles ratio under a catalyst loading of 50g/L. The study results of adsorption of both water and ethanol on to the cation exchange resin surface were found to be exothermic under the tested conditions. Furthermore, effect of concentration of each reactant on the reaction rate was examined using initial reaction rate measurements. ENGINEER, Vol. 47, No. 01, pp. 9-15, 2014
Highlights
Ethyl Acetate is a valuable organic ester which is highly applied in perfumery, paint and coating industry, pharmaceutical industry and flavours in food industry [1], [2]
The study of Hangx et al [4] has shown an evaluation of the same reaction with the cation exchange resin Purolite CT179 and their results have proven that forward reaction rate is proportional to the 1.5th power of the acetic acid concentration
Trilite SCR-B which is available in the local market was used as the heterogeneous catalyst for the reaction
Summary
Ethyl Acetate is a valuable organic ester which is highly applied in perfumery, paint and coating industry, pharmaceutical industry and flavours in food industry [1], [2]. The commercial process of manufacturing ethyl acetate is based on the reaction of esterification between ethanol and acetic acid under an acid catalyst. Several drawbacks are met in using homogeneous acid catalysts for the above reaction. Ismail et al [3] have studied the applicability of ion exchange resin, Amberlyst-15 for the same reaction. The study of Hangx et al [4] has shown an evaluation of the same reaction with the cation exchange resin Purolite CT179 and their results have proven that forward reaction rate is proportional to the 1.5th power of the acetic acid concentration.
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