title: Optimization of reactive simulated moving bed systems with modulation of feed concentration for production of glycol ether ester.
abstract: In this article, we extend the simulated moving bed reactor (SMBR) mode of operation to the production of propylene glycol methyl ether acetate (DOWANOL™ PMA glycol ether) through the esterification of 1-methoxy-2-propanol (DOWANOL™ PM glycol ether) and acetic acid using AMBERLYST™ 15 as a catalyst and adsorbent. In addition, for the first time, we integrate the concept of modulation of the feed concentration (ModiCon) to SMBR operation. The performance of the conventional (constant feed) and ModiCon operation modes of SMBR are analyzed and compared. The SMBR processes are designed using a model based on a multi-objective optimization approach, where a transport dispersive model with a linear driving force for the adsorption rate has been used for modeling the SMBR system. The adsorption equilibrium and kinetics parameters are estimated from the batch and single column injection experiments by the inverse method. The multiple objectives are to maximize the production rate of DOWANOL™ PMA glycol ether, maximize the conversion of the esterification reaction and minimize the consumption of DOWANOL™ PM glycol ether which also acts as the desorbent in the chromatographic separation. It is shown that ModiCon achieves a higher productivity by 12-36% over the conventional operation with higher product purity and recovery.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
authors.forename: Gaurav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Agrawal
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
authors.forename: Jungmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
authors.forename: Balamurali
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sreedhar
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tie
authors.affiliation: Engineering & Process Science Laboratory, Core R&D, The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Megan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Donaldson
authors.affiliation: Engineering & Process Science Laboratory, Core R&D, The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.affiliation: Ion Exchange R&D, Dow Water & Process Solutions, The Dow Chemical Company, Collegeville, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Alfred K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
authors.forename: Andreas S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Bommarius
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA. Electronic address: ykawajiri@chbe.gatech.edu.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawajiri
mesh_terms: D002845:Chromatography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D016062:Porosity; D011409:Propylene Glycols / Q000138:chemical synthesis*
chemical_list: D011409:Propylene Glycols; C502307:propylene glycol methyl ether acetate
keywords: Modeling and optimization; Parameter estimation; Reactive separation; Simulated moving bed chromatography