Glycerol ethers synthesis from glycerol etherification with tert-butyl alcohol in reactive distillation
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Author list: Kiatkittipong W., Intaracharoen P., Laosiripojana N., Chaisuk C., Praserthdam P., Assabumrungrat S.
Publisher: Elsevier
Publication year: 2011
Journal: Computers & Chemical Engineering (0098-1354)
Volume number: 35
Issue number: 10
Start page: 2034
End page: 2043
Number of pages: 10
ISSN: 0098-1354
eISSN: 1873-4375
Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)
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Abstract
This paper presents a study of glycerol etherification with tert-butyl alcohol catalyzed by Amberlyst 15 in reactive distillation (RD). A thermodynamic analysis is firstly investigated by applying three group contribution methods, to determine the equilibrium composition by minimization of the Gibbs free energy and to compare the predicted values against measured data. Next, the kinetic model parameters are regressed by matching measured data from an autoclave reactor. The activity based Langmuir-Hinshelwood model is found to give the best representation of the reaction rate data. The regressed kinetic rate expressions are also compared against independently measured data in fixed bed reactors reported in the literature and found to give a good match. Finally, using the developed models, it is shown by simulation as well as verification by experiments, that the suitable RD configuration for the production of glycerol ethers in RD is the one consisting of 6 rectifying stages and 6 reaction stages without stripping stage. ฉ 2011 Elsevier Ltd.
Keywords
Equilibrium conversion, Etherification, Group contribution, Reactive distillation, Tert-butyl ether of glycerol
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