A Complete Heterogeneous Model for the Production of n-Propyl Propionate Using a Simulated Moving Bed Reactor

Abstract

n-Propyl Propionate (ProPro) is a harmless biodegradable product employed in several fields for the production of drugs, inks, coating, food, and perfume. ProPro is synthesized in an equilibrium reaction for which its yield can be enhanced by constant withdraw of the products as the reaction takes place. Simulated Moving Bed Reactor (SMBR) is a candidate for the production of ProPro with high efficiency as it is a multifunction unit able to simultaneously run reaction and separation, hence shifting the equilibrium reaction toward products. This paper proposes a complete phenomenological model for the ProPro synthesis in a Simulated Moving Bed Reactor (SMBR) packed with the heterogeneous catalyst Amberlyst 46 resin. The operating conditions are defined by the Triangle Theory to design an SMBR unit to produce ProPro efficiently and a comprehensive parameter estimation procedure is employed to obtain more representative parameters. The validated phenomenological model was applied to design an SMBR unit to produce high purity (99.28%) ProPro.