Simulated moving bed reactor for butyl acrylate synthesis: From pilot to industrial scale

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2015

Authors

Dânia S. M. Constantino (Author) FEUP; Carla S. M. Pereira (Author) FEUP; Rui P. V. Faria (Author) FEUP; José M. Loureiro (Author) FEUP; Alírio E. Rodrigues (Author) FEUP

Journal

The Journal is awaiting validation by the Administrative Services.

Title: CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND PROCESSING

Vol. 97

Pages: 153-168

ISSN: 0255-2701

Publisher: Elsevier Science

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 1 Citation

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 3 Citations

INSPEC

COMPENDEX

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Chemical engineering

CORDIS: Technological sciences > Engineering > Chemical engineering

Associated Projects

LSRE-LCM - Laboratório de Processos de Separação e Reação - Laboratório de Catálise e Materiais

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00J-XVG

DOI: 10.1016/j.cep.2015.08.003

Abstract (EN): The feasibility of butyl acrylate synthesis process in a simulated moving bed reactor packed with Amberlyst 15 resin was studied at different temperatures (323 and 363 K). For that, a mathematical model was developed to describe the dynamic behaviour of the simulated moving bed reactor considering internal and external mass-transfer resistances and velocity variations due to changes in the bulk composition. The effect of operating conditions, as the SMBR configuration (columns arrangement) and switching time, on the performance parameters was studied at isothermal operation. It was determined the reactive separation region for the following set parameters: equimolar feed composition, switching time equal to 3.1 min and configuration 2-4-4-2. The influence of feed molar ratio (n-butanol/AAc) was also evaluated and the optimal operating conditions were found in order to get the best performance parameters: maximum raffinate (BAc) purity ensuring the minimum desorbent (n-butanol) consumption and maximum productivity. Finally, a simulated moving bed reactor unit was designed at industrial scale as well as pervaporation and distillation column units to treat the extract (n-butanol and water) and the raffinate (n-butanol and BAc) streams, respectively. A global process was simulated disclosing very promising results with nearly complete n-butanol recovery and a competitive production capacity (51,500 t(BAc)/year).

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 16