[chuanhin]

My name is Chuan Hin and from University Putra Malaysia. I am doing a project on the esterification of fatty acid using reactive distillation. Is there anybody have the design method for reactive distillation?
thank you.

[Donaldson Tan]

Is there anything on Perry's?

[chuanhin]

The information of perry's hand are too limited to design. online journal also too general. is there any refference book, webside or journal that related to the design of reactive distillation?

[Donaldson Tan]

http://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI3013656/

[Donaldson Tan]

Title: A novel continuous-flow reactor using reactive distillation for biodiesel production

Author(s): He BB, Singh AP, Thompson JC
Source: TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASABE 49 (1): 107-112 JAN-FEB 2006
Document Type: Article
Language: English

Abstract:
The production of biodiesel through batch and existing continuous flow processes requires the use of a much higher excess alcohol, typically 100%, than the stoichiometric molar requirement in order to drive the transesterification reaction to completion. This excess alcohol must be recovered in a separate process, which involves additional capital and operating costs. In this study, a novel reactor system using reactive distillation (RD) was developed and investigated for biodiesel preparation from canola oil and methanol. The goal was to significantly reduce the use of excess methanol while maintaining a high methanol: glyceride molar ratio inside the RD reactor by recycling a small amount of methanol within the system. Reactant conversion rate and product yield were used as the criteria for the reactor evaluation. The effect of the methanol: glyceride ratio was studied on a laboratory-scale perforated-tray RD reactor system. Product parameters such as methyl ester content, glycerides, and methanol content were analyzed. Preliminary results showed that the RD reactor with a methanol: glyceride ratio of 4:1 (molar), in which the use of methanol was cut down by 66%, gave a satisfactory biodiesel yield and oil conversion rate at a column temperature of 65 degrees C. Total reaction time in the pre-reactor and RD column was about 3 min, which is 20 to 30 times shorter than in typical batch processes. The productivity of the RD reactor system was about 6.6 m(3) biodiesel per m(3) reactor volume per hour, which is 6 to 10 times higher than that of batch and existing continuous flow processes.

Addresses: He BB (reprint author), 81A James Martin Lab, Moscow, ID 83844 USA
Univ Idaho, Dept Biol & Agr Engn, Moscow, ID 83843 USA
E-mail Addresses: bhe@uidaho.edu
Publisher: AMER SOC AGRICULTURAL & BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERS, 2950 NILES RD, ST JOSEPH, MI 49085-9659 USA
IDS Number: 057LB
ISSN: 0001-2351