Simulation & Control Studies of Dual Reactive Distillation for Fatty Acid Esters

Abstract

Present study aims at carrying out steady state & dynamic simulation of a dual Reactive Distillation(RD) using aspen plus. Aspen dynamics simulation is a useful tool for finding required control structure to the process. Controller interaction and response of the system for various disturbances in Lauric acid feed (temperature, molar flow rate). Studying the performance subjected to changes in feed is known as regulatory performance. In the present study exothermic irreversible reaction of lauric acid and 2-ethyl-hexanol, lauric acid and methanol along with separation is carried out in a reactive distillation column to form methyl laurate and 2-ethylhexanyl laurate. The dynamic response of the process studied for three different control structure those are default control structure, single point control structure and two point temperature control structure. The response studied for various disturbances in Lauric acid feed and result were reported. The response of the process has been found to be faster in the case of two point control structure when compared to default and single point control structure.