Simulation and optimization of ethyl acetate reactive packed distillation process using aspen hysys

The simulations and optimizations of a reactive packed distillation process for the production of ethyl acetate, water being the by-product, from the esterification reaction between acetic acid and ethanol has been carried out in this work using Aspen HYSYS 3.2 process simulator. The main column, apart from the condenser and the reboiler, was divided into five sections: rectification, acetic acid feed, reaction, ethanol feed and stripping sections. In the simulations, Non-Random Two-Liquid model was used as the fluid package and the reaction occurring in the reaction section of the column was modeled as an equilibrium one. In order to validate the results of the simulator, experiments were carried out in a reactive packed distillation pilot plant. The data input and output of the experiments were done with the aid of MATLAB/Simulink via electronic modules. The results of Aspen HYSYS simulations were compared with those obtained from the experimental studies.