Modeling of the Catalytic Distillation Process for the Synthesis of Ethyl Cellosolve Using A Three-Phase Nonequilibrium Model

Abstract

The catalytic distillation (CD) process for the synthesis of ethyl cellosolve from ethanol and ethylene oxide on molecular sieve catalyst NKC-01 in a 200 mm CD pilot column was simulated using the three-phase nonequilibrium model which was developed in our laboratory. The main feature of this model is that the actual rates for transport and reaction are used and the stage efficiency or HETP (height equivalent to a theoretical plate) is not required. The effect of multicomponent mass and heat transfer between vapor and liquid phases as well as between liquid and solid (catalyst) phases was taken into account according to the Maxwell-Stefan equations. The Newton-Raphson method was used to solve the model equations. The simulation profiles of the temperature and composition along the column are in good agreement with the pilot CD plant data obtained for the synthesis of ethyl cellosolve. Good agreement between model predictions and experimental data is also obtained for the yield and selectivity of the ethyl cellosolve. This model could be extended to simulate other CD processes and commercial scale CD plants.