Reactive distillation conceptual process design

The determination of feasible products is very important for conceptual process design and for the evaluation of competing process variants. In this chapter, methods have been discussed to identify feasible products as singular points of residue curve maps (RCM). RCM-analysis is a tool which is well established for nonreactive and reactive distillation processes. Here, it is shown how RCM can also be used for reactive membrane separation processes. 

Another recent book dedicated to the conceptual design of distillation systems has been published by Doherty and Mallone (2001). The authors are well-known by outstanding contributions in the field. Emphasis is given to process synthesis aspects, namely to the new methods based on residue curve maps, as well as to the innovative use of Reactive Distillation. 

Conceptual Design of Reactive Distillation Processes A Review ... 

Almeida-Rivera C.P., Swinkels P.L.J. and Grievink J. (20046). Ek onomics and exergy efficiency in the conceptual design of reactive distillation processes. AIChE Symposium Series 2004, 237-240. 1.3.2,... 

In this dissertation a life-span inspired perspective is taken on the conceptual design of grassroots reactive distillation processes. Attention was paid to the economic performance of the process and to potential losses of valuable resources over the process life span. 

ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN THE CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF REACTIVE DISTILLATION PROCESSES. AIChE Symposium Series 2004, 237-240. 

Flowsheets for processes are sometimes generated without following the hierarchy of properties described previously. As an example, Siirola [20] proposed a reactive-distiUation solution to make methyl acetate. Unit operations that combine the property differences present abrupt departures from common methodologies. With the advent of various pieces of equipment, such as differential side-stream feed reactors (i.e., semicontinuously fed batch reactors), continuous evaporator-reactors (e.g., wiped-film evaporators), and reactive distillation columns, one can consider these unit operations in the development of conceptual designs. As an example, Doherty and Malone [21] have presented systematic methods for reactive distillation design. 

Feasibility analysis helps us to determine whether a single reactive distillation process will produce on-spec products. It is carried out at the very beginning of the design and can provide guidance for conceptual design. One useful approach is the difference point method in which tray-by-tray calculations are carried out to determine the feasibility. 

Several hundred papers and patents have appeared in the area of reactive distillation, which are too numerous to discuss. A number of books have dealt with the subject such as (1) Distillation, Principles and Practice by Stichhnair and Fair, (2) Conceptual Design of Distillation Systems by Doherty and Malone," and (3) Reactive Distillation— Status and Future Directions by Sundmacher and Kienle. These books deal primarily with the steady-state design of reactive distillation columns. Conceptual approximate design approaches are emphasized, but there is little treatment of rigorous design approaches using commercial simulators. The issues of dynamics and control stmcture development are not covered. Few quantitative eeonomic comparisons of conventional multiunit processes with reactive distillation are provided. 

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