Mixed Succinic Acid/Acetic Acid Esterification with Ethanol by Reactive Distillation.

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• 作者：Alvaro Orjuela ; Aspi Kolah ; Carl T. Lira ; Dennis J. Miller
• 刊名：Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research
• 出版年：2011
• 出版时间：August 3, 2011
• 年：2011
• 卷：50
• 期：15
• 页码：9209-9220
• 全文大小：1004K
• 年卷期：v.50,no.15(August 3, 2011)
• ISSN：1520-5045

文摘

Esterification of mixtures of succinic acid and acetic acid, commonly produced via fermentation of biomass carbohydrates, with ethanol in a continuous reactive distillation unit has been studied. Experiments were carried out in a 6 m tall, 51 mm diameter pilot-scale stainless steel column with the reactive zone consisting of Katapak-SP11 structured packing containing Amberlyst 70 cation exchange resin as catalyst. Noncatalytic BX structured gauze packing was used in stripping and enrichment sections. Steady-state experiments were performed under different conditions by varying the composition and number of inlet streams, the column pressure, the reboiler power, and the reflux ratio. Conversions approaching 100% for both succinic acid and acetic acid were verified experimentally; succinate esters were obtained as bottom products with purities of diethyl succinate as high as 98%, and ethyl acetate was recovered in the distillate. Computer simulations based upon experimental phase equilibrium data and chemical kinetics were performed in Aspen Plus using RadFrac to reproduce steady-state results. Good agreement between experiment and simulation was observed under diverse operating conditions. The model developed here can be used to design commercial-scale systems for succinic acid production when acetic acid is also formed during the fermentation.