Reactive Distillation for Multiple-Reaction Systems: Optimisation Study Using an Evolutionary Algorithm

• Authors: Tobias Keller , Bjoern Dreisewerd , Andrzej Górak
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Reactive distillation (RD) has already demonstrated its potential to significantly increase reactant conversion and the purity of the target product. Our work focuses on the application of RD to reaction systems that feature more than one main reaction. In such multiple-reaction systems, the application of RD would enhance not only the reactant conversion but also the selectivity of the target product. The potential of RD to improve the product selectivity of multiple-reaction systems has not yet been fully exploited because of a shortage of available comprehensive experimental and theoretical studies. In the present article, we want to theoretically identify the full potential of RD technology in multiple-reaction systems by performing a detailed optimisation study. An evolutionary algorithm was applied and the obtained results were compared with those of a conventional stirred tank reactor to quantify the potential of RD to improve the target product selectivity of multiple-reaction systems. The consecutive transesterification of dimethyl carbonate with ethanol to form ethyl methyl carbonate and diethyl carbonate was used as a case study.

Keywords

EN

nonequilibrium-stage model; Pareto-front; multi-objective optimisation; diethyl carbonate; ethyl methyl carbonate

• Publisher: De Gruyter Open
• Journal: Chemical and Process Engineering
• Year: 2013
• Volume: 34
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 17-38

Dates

published

1 - 03 - 2013

online

02 - 04 - 2013

Contributors

author

Tobias Keller

• TU Dortmund University, Department of Biochemical and Chemical Engineering, Laboratory of Fluid Separations, Emil-Figge-Strasse 70, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany

author

Bjoern Dreisewerd

• TU Dortmund University, Department of Biochemical and Chemical Engineering, Laboratory of Plant and Process Engineering, Emil-Figge-Strasse 70, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany

author

Andrzej Górak

• TU Dortmund University, Department of Biochemical and Chemical Engineering, Laboratory of Fluid Separations, Emil-Figge-Strasse 70, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany
• Lodz Technical University, Department of Environmental and Process Engineering, Lodz, Poland

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Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/cpe-2013-0003