Reactive Distillation in a Dividing Wall Column

Reactive dividing wall columns (RDWCs) are highly integrated distillation systems that can simultaneously carry out chemical reactions and multicomponent separations within the same vessel. While reactive distillation columns (RDCs) are well established and dividing wall columns are becoming increasingly popular in chemical processes due to their ability to present significant capital and operating costs savings, RDWCs have not been commercially adopted, in part due to the lack of experimental studies and validated models. Therefore, to increase public literature knowledge in this area, a complex aldol condensation reaction was studied at the laboratory scale. The first portion on this work focused on experimentally determining the phase equilibria and kinetics of the test system so that the results could be used to construct a simulation. Next, a simplified RDC was designed, built, and tested with the purpose of using the data to validate phase equilibria and kinetics modeling and inform RDWC design. The RDC experiments and simulation were then used to build, operate, and model a laboratory-scale RDWC. By using the tools of modeling and experimentation to intensify the aldol condensation test system from kinetics and phase equilibria experiments to a RDC then a RDWC, this work contributed a roadmap for evaluating the commercial potential of a RDWC system. Additionally, this work validated the approach of using scaleable Oldershaw laboratory distillation glassware to investigate a RDWC and for model validation.