PROCESS INTEGRATION BASED OPTIMIZATION OF MASS SEPARATING AGENT FOR EXTRACTION OF ACETIC ACID USING MICROCHANNEL REACTOR

Abstract

Integration of any process leads to many useful outcomes like saving energy, minimizing logistics, better economy. Integration of a process leads to better design and operation. The microchannel reactor has certain advantages over the conventional reactor. Microchannel reactor provides higher performance of thermal and mass transfer. Due to the lower flow capacity, the microchannel reactors are limited in use and are mainly used in pharmaceutical and other higher valued products. In this dissertation work we have taken a microchannel reactor of circular cross section with inner diameter 2 mm. The liquid-liquid extraction of 10 %( v/v) acetic acid and toluene mixture is carried out in microchannel reactor of ID 2 mm with water as a solvent. The composition of the acetic acid in aqueous (water and acetic acid) and organic (toluene and acetic acid) is estimated by using refractive index data of aqueous and organic phase. This composition data along with the streams flowrate obtained is then further used for process integration based optimization of mass separating agent which is water in this case using pinch analysis method and the minimum solvent flowrate needed for the separation is estimated which is the optimized mass separating agent flowrate.