A Method for Modeling Two- and Three-Phase Reactive Distillation Columns

An algorithm for the steady-state simulation of two- and three-phase multistage reactive distillation processes with equilibrium chemical reactions is developed. In the developed algorithm, the phase stability, phase equilibrium, and chemical reaction equilibrium calculations are preformed simultaneously. The algorithm was used to simulate a variety of two- and three-phase reactive distillation processes. The simulation results were compared against the available experimental data in the literature. Good agreement was observed between the simulation results and experimental data. A multistage reactive distillation process for the production of cyclohexanol from the hydration of cyclohexene with two liquid phases present on multiple stages was simulated. A high-purity cyclohexanol product with a high cyclohexene conversion was obtained for this process.