Abstract
Reactive distillation (RD) processes integrate reaction and distillation, the reactants being converted with the simultaneous separation of the products. This chapter describes the use of reactive distillation technology to produce biodiesel by esterification of free fatty acids, or trans-esterification of various oils (triglycerides). An overview of the reported experimental and simulation studies is provided, covering also the process design, dynamics and control, as well as more complex RD configurations based on dividing-wall column technology.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Agachi PS, Nagy ZK, Cristea MV, Imre-Lucaci A (2006) Model based control: case studies in process engineering. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim
Aspen technology (2010) Aspen Plus: user guide, vol 1 and 2. Mass, Burlington
Bildea CS, Kiss AA (2011) Dynamics and control of a biodiesel process by reactive absorption. Chem Eng Res Des 89:187–196. doi:10.1016/j.cherd.2010.05.007
Cossio-Vargas E, Hernandez S, Segovia-Hernandez JG, Cano-Rodriguez MI (2011) Simulation study of the production of biodiesel using feedstock mixtures of fatty acids in complex reactive distillation columns. Energy 36:6289–6297. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2011.10.005
Cossio-Vargas E, Barroso-Munoz FO, Hernandez S, Segovia-Hernandez JG, Cano-Rodriguez MI (2012) Thermally coupled distillation sequences: steady state simulation of the esterification of fatty organic acids. Chem Eng Process 62:176–182. doi:10.1016/j.cep.2012.08.004
da Silva ND, Santander CM, Batistella CM, Maciel R, Maciel MRW (2010) Biodiesel production from integration between reaction and separation system: reactive distillation process. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 161:245–254. doi:10.1007/s12010-009-8882-7
de Jong MC, Zondervan E, Dimian AC, de Haan AB (2010) Entrainer selection for the synthesis of fatty acid esters by entrainer-based reactive distillation. Chem Eng Res Des 88:34–44. doi:10.1021/ie100937p
Dimian AC, Bildea CS (2008) Chemical process design—computer-aided case studies. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim
Dimian AC, Bildea CS, Omota F, Kiss AA (2009) Innovative process for fatty acid esters by dual reactive distillation. Comput Chem Eng 33:743–750. doi:10.1016/j.compchemeng.2008.09.020
Dimian AC, Omota F, Bliek A (2004) Entrainer-enhanced reactive distillation. Chem Eng Process 43:411–420. doi:10.1016/S0255-2701(03)00125-9
Eleftheriades NM, von Blottnitz H (2013) Thermodynamic and kinetic considerations for biodiesel production by reactive distillation. Environ Prog Sustain Energy 32:373–376. doi:10.1002/ep.10621
Gomez-Castro FI, Rico-Ramirez V, Segovia-Hernandez JG, Hernandez S (2010) Feasibility study of a thermally coupled reactive distillation process for biodiesel production. Chem Eng Process 49:262–269. doi:10.1016/j.cep.2010.02.002
Gomez-Castro FI, Rico-Ramirez V, Segovia-Hernandez JG, Hernandez-Castro S (2011) Esterification of fatty acids in a thermally coupled reactive distillation column by the two-step supercritical methanol method. Chem Eng Res Des 89:480–490. doi:10.1016/j.cherd.2010.08.009
Hamed OA, Aly S, AbuKhousa E (1996) Heuristic approach for heat exchanger networks. Int J Energy Res 20:797–810. doi:10.1021/ie202171g
Harmsen GJ (2007) Reactive distillation: the front-runner of industrial process intensification—a full review of commercial applications, research, scale-up, design and operation. Chem Eng Process 46:774–780. doi:10.1016/j.cep.2007.06.005
He BB, Singh AP, Thompson JC (2005) Experimental optimization of a continuous-flow reactive distillation reactor for biodiesel production. Trans ASAE 48:2237–2243
He BB, Singh AP, Thompson JC (2006) A novel continuous-flow reactor using reactive distillation for biodiesel production. Trans ASABE 49:107–112
Hernandez S, Sandoval-Vergara R, Barroso-Munoz FO, Murrieta-Duenas R, Hernandez-Escoto H, Segovia-Hernandez JG, Rico-Ramirez V (2009) Reactive dividing wall distillation columns: simulation and implementation in a pilot plant. Chem Eng Process 48:250–258. doi:10.1016/j.cep.2008.03.015
Hernandez S, Segovia-Hernandez JG, Juarez-Trujillo L, Estrada-Pacheco EJ, Maya-Yescas R (2010) Design study of the control of a reactive thermally coupled distillation sequence for the esterification of fatty organic acids. Chem Eng Commun 198:1–18. doi: 10.1080/00986445.2010.493102
Ignat RM, Kiss AA (2013) Optimal design, dynamics and control of a reactive DWC for biodiesel production. Chem Eng Res Des 91:1760–1767. doi:10.1016/j.cherd.2013.02.009
Kiss AA (2010) Separative reactors for integrated production of bioethanol and biodiesel. Comput Chem Eng 34:812–820. doi:10.1016/j.compchemeng.2009.09.005
Kiss AA (2011) Heat-integrated reactive distillation process for synthesis of fatty esters. Fuel Process Technol 92:1288–1296. doi:10.1016/j.fuproc.2011.02.003
Kiss AA (2012) Applying reactive distillation. NPT Procestechnologie 19(1):22–24
Kiss AA (2013a) Advanced distillation technologies—design, control and applications. Wiley, UK
Kiss AA (2013b) Reactive distillation technology. In Boodhoo K, Harvey A (eds) Process intensification technologies for green chemistry: innovative engineering solutions for sustainable chemical processing. Wiley, New York, pp 251–274
Kiss AA (2013c) Novel applications of dividing-wall column technology to biofuel production processes. J Chem Technol Biotechnol 88:1387–1404. doi:10.1002/jctb.4108
Kiss AA, Bildea CS (2011) A control perspective on process intensification in dividing-wall columns. Chem Eng Process 50:281–292. doi:10.1016/j.cep.2011.01.011
Kiss AA, Bildea CS (2012) A review on biodiesel production by integrated reactive separation technologies. J Chem Technol Biotechnol 87:861–879. doi:10.1002/jctb.3785
Kiss AA, Ignat RM (2012) Enhanced methanol recovery and glycerol separation in biodiesel production—DWC makes it happen. Appl Energy 99:146–153. doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2012.04.019
Kiss AA, Suszwalak DJ-PC (2012) Innovative dimethyl ether synthesis in a reactive dividing-wall column. Comput Chem Eng 38:74–81. doi:10.1016/j.compchemeng.2011.11.012
Kiss AA, Dimian AC, Rothenberg G (2006a) Solid acid catalysts for biodiesel production—towards sustainable energy. Adv Synth Catal 348:75–81. doi:10.1002/adsc.200505160
Kiss AA, Bildea CS, Dimian AC (2007) Design and control of recycle systems by non-linear analysis. Comput Chem Eng 31:601–611. doi:10.1016/j.compchemeng.2006.09.002
Kiss AA, Dimian AC, Rothenberg G (2008) Biodiesel by catalytic reactive distillation powered by metal oxides. Energy Fuels 22:598–604. doi:10.1021/ef700265y
Kiss AA, Omota F, Dimian AC, Rothenberg G (2006b) The heterogeneous advantage: biodiesel by catalytic reactive distillation. Top Catal 40:141–150. doi:10.1007/s11244-006-0116-4
Kiss AA, Pragt J, van Strien C (2009) Reactive dividing-wall columns—how to get more with less resources? Chem Eng Commun 196:1366–1374. doi:10.1080/00986440902935507
Kiss AA, Segovia-Hernandez JG, Bildea CS, Miranda-Galindo EY, Hernandez S (2012) Reactive DWC leading the way to FAME and fortune. Fuel 95:352–359. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2011.12.064
Luyben WL, Luyben ML (1997) Essentials of process control. McGraw-Hill, New York, US
Luyben WL, Yu CC (2008) Reactive distillation design and control. Wiley-AIChE, Hoboken
Machado GD, Aranda DA, Castier M, Cabral VF, Cardozo L (2011) Computer simulation of fatty acid esterification in reactive distillation columns. Ind Eng Chem Res 50:10176–10184. doi:10.1021/ie102327y
Machado GD, Pessoa FLP, Castier M, Aranda DAG, Cabral VF, Cardozo-Filho L (2013) Biodiesel production by esterification of hydrolyzed soybean oil with ethanol in reactive distillation columns: simulation studies. Ind Eng Chem Res 52:9461–9469. doi:10.1021/ie400806q
Mueller I, Kenig EY (2007) Reactive distillation in a dividing wall column: rate-based modeling and simulation. Ind Eng Chem Res 46:3709–3719. doi:10.1021/ie0610344
Nagy ZK, Klein R, Kiss AA, Findeisen R (2007) Advanced control of a reactive distillation column. Comput Aided Chem Eng 24:805–810. doi:10.1016/S1570-7946(07)80157-X
Nguyen N, Demirel Y (2011) Using thermally coupled reactive distillation columns in biodiesel production. Energy 36:4838–4847. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2011.05.020
Noeres C, Kenig EY, Gorak A (2003) Modelling of reactive separation processes: reactive absorption and reactive distillation. Chem Eng Process 42:157–178. doi:10.1016/S0255-2701(02)00086-7
Noshadi I, Amin NAS, Parnas RS (2011) Continuous production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil in a reactive distillation column catalyzed by solid heteropolyacid: optimization using response surface methodology (RSM). Fuel 94:156–164. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2011.10.018
Olujic Z, Jodecke M, Shilkin A, Schuch G, Kaibel B (2009) Equipment improvement trends in distillation. Chem Eng Process 48:1089–1104. doi:10.1016/j.cep.2009.03.004
Olujic Z, Kaibel B, Jansen H, Rietfort T, Zich E, Frey G (2003) Distillation column internals/configurations for process intensification. Chem Biochem Eng Q 17:301–309
Omota F, Dimian AC, Bliek A (2003a) Fatty acid esterification by reactive distillation. Part 1: equilibrium-based design. Chem Eng Sci 58:3159–3174. doi:10.1016/S0009-2509(03)00165-9
Omota F, Dimian AC, Bliek A (2003b) Fatty acid esterification by reactive distillation. Part 2: kinetics-based design for sulphated zirconia catalysts. Chem Eng Sci 58:3175–3185. doi:10.1016/S0009-2509(03)00154-4
Prasertsit K, Mueanmas C, Tongurai C (2013) Transesterification of palm oil with methanol in a reactive distillation column. Chem Eng Process 70:21–26. doi:10.1016/j.cep.2013.05.011
Rewagad RR, Kiss AA (2012) Dynamic optimization of a dividing-wall column using model predictive control. Chem Eng Sci 68:132–142. doi:10.1016/j.ces.2011.09.022
Rothenberg G (2008) Catalysis: concepts and green applications. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim
Schembecker G, Tlatlik S (2003) Process synthesis for reactive separations. Chem Eng Process 42:179–189. doi:10.1016/S0255-2701(02)00087-9
Sharma N, Singh K (2010) Control of reactive distillation column: a review. Int J Chem React Eng 8:R5
Simasatitkul L, Siricharnsakunchai P, Patcharavorachot Y, Assabumrungrat S, Arpornwichanop A (2011) Reactive distillation for biodiesel production from soybean oil. Korean J Chem Eng 28:649–655. doi:10.1007/s11814-010-0440-z
Steinigeweg S, Gmehling J (2003) Esterification of a fatty acid by reactive distillation. Ind Eng Chem Res 42:3612–3619. doi:10.1021/ie020925i
Sundmacher K, Kienle A (2003) Reactive distillation: status and future directions. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, Germany
Suwannakarn K, Lotero E, Ngaosuwan K, Goodwin JG (2009) Simultaneous free fatty acid esterification and triglyceride transesterification using a solid acid catalyst with in situ removal of water and unreacted methanol. Ind Eng Chem Res 48:2810–2818. doi:10.1021/ie800889w
Thotla S, Mahajani S (2009) Reactive distillation with side draw. Chem Eng Process 48:927–937. doi:10.1016/j.cep.2008.12.007
van Diggelen RC, Kiss AA, Heemink AW (2010) Comparison of control strategies for dividing-wall columns. Ind Eng Chem Res 49:288–307. doi:10.1021/ie9010673
von Scala C, Moritz P, Fassler P (2003) Process for the continuous production of fatty acid esters via reactive distillation. Chimia 57:799–801. doi:10.2533/000942903777678461
Yildirim O, Kiss AA, Kenig EY (2011) Dividing wall columns in chemical process industry: a review on current activities. Sep Purif Technol 80:403–417. doi:10.1016/j.seppur.2011.05.009
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Kiss, A.A. (2014). Reactive Distillation Technology. In: Process Intensification Technologies for Biodiesel Production. SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03554-3_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03554-3_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-03553-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-03554-3
eBook Packages: EnergyEnergy (R0)