Energy saving characteristics of an internal heat integrated reactive distillation process for methyl acetate synthesis

Abstract

A model for an internally heat integrated reactive distillation process without a compressor was developed, and the synthesis of methyl acetate from methanol and acetic acid was simulated. The applicability was evaluated by using the process simulator Aspen Plus. The steady state simulation showed that the energy consumption of the heat integrated reactive distillation process was lower than that of conventional reactive distillation.