Innovative Ethylene Glycol Diacetate synthesis process in a single reactive distillation column

Abstract In this paper, an innovative ethylene glycol diacetate (EGDA) synthesis process in a single reactive distillation column has been investigated. The consecutive, reversible second-order esterification of ethylene glycol (EG) with acetic acid (HAC) to ethylene glycol monoacetate (EGMA) and ethylene glycol diacetate (EGDA) were intensified by the hydration of. As an auxiliary reaction, the hydration of EO greatly promoted the esterification reaction equilibrium to the right, not only consuming water, but also generate the ethylene glycol in situ. Fixing the feed rate of EG, EO, and HAC at 21.6, 68.4 and 180 kmol/h, respectively, impacts of four important parameters, i.e., number of theoretical stage, feed position, reflux ratio, rate of distillation and operating pressure on the purity of EGDA, energy consumption, conversion, selectivity and yield were investigated to achieve an optimal process design in the steady state simulation by Aspen Plus. On the basis of steady state, the dynamic state simulation by Aspen Plus Dynamics has achieved an innovative process to produce EGDA without EG feed.