Purification Propionic Acid using n-Butanol in Semi Batch Reactive Distillation

Abstract

Reactive distillation is a cost-effective chemical engineering process intensification method which involves the reaction and separation simultaneously in a single unit. Previously, Propionic Acid has been purified using n-Butanol as an entrainer in a batch setup using reactive distillation in the presence of a cation exchange resin catalyst called Amberlite. The final product is n-Butayl Propionate and it can be subjected to reversible reaction to get pure propionic acid. The extension of reactive distillation in a semi-batch setup to purify Propionic Acid is yet to be studied. In the present work, the Propionic Acid is purified using n-Butanol (nB) as an entrainer through the esterification process to occur in a semi batch reactive distillation unit. The flow rate effect along with the concentration of acid at different weight percentages of catalyst are carried out. As nB possesses the lightest weight in the mixture, it volatilizes to the topmost section of the distillation column during the operation. By means of distillate, it can be eliminated from the reactive system in a typical setup of conventional batch reactive distillation (CBRD) column following which the conversion of PA gets inhibited. Hence, through the approach of semi-batch reactive distillation (SBRD) the purity of acid is verified. Contrarily in the reactive mixture, as water is the second lightest