Analysis and application of nonlinear dynamics in reactive distillation processes Final report for project B3: heterogeneously catalysed reactions in packed columns

In this project general fundamentals were developed for the nonlinear dynamics of reactive distillation processes by both, theoretical and experimental investigations. The integration of a distillative separation and a chemical reaction in one process unit leads to the synergetic interaction of a series of nonlinear phenomena which come from reaction kinetics, chemical thermodynamics and multicomponent mass transfer. Therefore these systems are expected to show a new dynamic and steady state behaviour which was not investigated in detail so far. At the Institut fuer Chemische Verfahrenstechnik (ICVT) of TU Clausthal the research work was focussed on heterogeneously catalysed reactions in packed columns and batch reactors. The syntheses of the fuel ethers MTBE and TAME were taken as process examples of high technical relevance. Strong acid ion exchange resins in the shape of rings were used as catalytic packing for reactive distillation. For the simulation of these processes a family of models of different complexity was developed. By comparison of simulated results with own experimental data, which were obtained from two packed laboratory-scale columns, adequate models were selected and their parameters were identified. Based on these validated models, the nonlinear dynamic behaviour of the TAME-reactive distillation column at ICVT was investigated together with the project partner from the University of Stuttgart, Institut fuer Systemdynamik und Regelungstechnik. For the first time, experimental evidence was given for theoretically predicted multiple steady states in such a packed reactive distillation column. This result gives a base for the further improvement of industrial fuel ether production plants with respect to their operability and safety. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F98B1156+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Bildung, Wissenschaft, Forschung und Technologie, Bonn (Germany)DEGerman