Sorption enhanced reactive process for the synthesis of glycerol ethyl acetal

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2014

Authors

Rui P. V. Faria (Author) FEUP; Carla S. M. Pereira (Author) FEUP; Viviana M. T. M. Silva (Author) Other; José M. Loureiro (Author) FEUP; Alírio E. Rodrigues (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Chemical Engineering Journal

Vol. 258

Pages: 229-239

ISSN: 1385-8947

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 0 Citations

INSPEC

Current Contents

COMPENDEX

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Chemical engineering

CORDIS: Technological sciences > Engineering > Chemical engineering

Associated Projects

LA 20 - PROJECTO ESTRATÉGICO - LA 20 - 2013-2014

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-009-R2T

DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2014.07.073

Abstract (EN): The synthesis of glycerol ethyl acetal via acetalisation of glycerol with acetaldehyde, using dimethyl sulfoxide as solvent, in a fixed bed adsorptive reactor packed with Amberlyst-15 wet, operated isothermally at 303 K, was investigated. The study comprised the determination of fundamental adsorption equilibrium data, performing several breakthrough experiments with non-reactive pairs of the species involved in the synthesis of the acetal and fitting the results by Langmuir competitive isotherms. The response of the fixed bed to reactive mixtures was also analysed demonstrating that a conversion of approximately 79% could be achieved at the steady state when an equimolar mixture of acetaldehyde, glycerol and dimethyl sulfoxide was fed to the reactor at 5.0 mL min(-1). Additionally, considering the adsorption data gathered, and accounting for the reaction kinetics, the effects of the dispersive plug flow, the velocity variations due to the changes of the bulk composition and the internal and external mass transfer mechanisms, it was possible to develop a mathematical model that could effectively describe the dynamic behaviour of a fixed bed adsorptive reactor applied to the synthesis of glycerol ethyl acetal.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 11