By using phase and reaction equilibrium information, the feasibility criteria for single-feed and
double-feed reactive distillation systems are derived: When the products are a stable node and
an unstable node and a part of the reaction equilibrium curve lies in the same distillation region
as the products, both reactive rectifying and reactive stripping sections can feasibly produce
pure products in a single-feed column. If one of the products is a saddle and no azeotrope exists
between the products, a single-feed column is still feasible, but only with large reaction
equilibrium constants. If a saddle product forms a minimum-boiling azeotrope with another
product, an entrainer is needed to break this azeotrope in a double-feed column. If both reaction
products are saddles, the same double-feed column configuration with an entrainer can produce
pure products.