SIMULATION OF CATALYTIC DISTILLATION COLUMN

Abstract

The present investigation pertains to a theoretical study of simulation of multicomponent catalytic distillation column. Basically it deals with the development of mathematical model for esterification of butanol with acetic acid in a column containing 21 numbers of trays inclosing total condenser and a reboiler. It also includes the solution technique for solution of model. Further the comparison of the composition of products in vapor and liquid phases and temperature profile on each tray has been done with data due to Zhicai et al. (1996). Finally studies of the effect of different design variables viz. feed tray location, reflux ratio and holdup on the butyl acetate composition on each tray has been done. Using the basic principal of mass conservation, energy conservation, and phase equilibrium a mathematical model of catalytic distillation column under steady state condition has been developed. These balance equations includes component material balance, enthalpy balance, phase equilibrium, and summation equation. These balance equations have been solved using the Thomas algorithm to get the composition profile on each tray. The model developed is tested for the esterification of butanol with acetic acid in a distillation column containing 21 numbers of trays including total condenser and reboiler with the concentration, flow rate, reaction rate, and temperature profile on each tray due to Zee et al. (1996). An examination of these results show that model has been successful in representing the catalytic distillation columns for the above system and has been found to be in agreement for different profiles of vapor and liquid phase composition and temperature and each tray. The maximum deviation between the profile obtained by this simulation and of Zhicai et al. (1996) was found to be 15%.